Essential Survival Guide to Living on Your Own: Money, Relationships, House & Car Hunting, Health Care, Insurance, Voting, Cleaning, and Much More

By Sharon B. Siepel

Book Overview

Are you ready to strike out on your own? In today's competitive world, you need all the help you can get. Essential Survival Guide provides you with how-to and hands-on instruction to make life less of a chore and more of an adventure. Sections include: Getting through the Day : Setting goals, organization, and understanding essential documents Money, Money, Money : Learning about banking, credit, and debt; understanding taxes Getting Your Own Place : Finding the right roommates, resolving conflicts, and purchasing a home Wheels : Buying a car and purchasing car insurance; maintaining your new or used car And much more Independent living is only a read away. Full of practical advice in an easy-to-use format, this book covers everything from sorting laundry (yes, you have to sort) to choosing a church. The concise chapters and quick tips will make the learning fun and easy to apply.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416549692
• ISBN13: 9781416549697
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Howard Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Very "Essential" for youngsters heading out on there own!

Essential Survival Guide definitely lives up to what written on its back cover, "full of practical advice in an easy-to-use format, this book covers everything from sorting laundry to choosing a church." I found the sections on car maintenance and how to find a doctor really helpful. I also really like the fact that Siepel gives more tools then advice. For example, she doesn't tell you how to spend your money; rather she gives you tools for you to make your own decisions. I am really surprised at the Christian bashing in some of the other reviews. There is so much covered in this book that applies to everyone and Siepel is never preachy. Besides, all you have to do is look at the table of contents to see the topics covered, plus Howard Books, the publisher, is the Christian division of Simon & Schuster.

A Must-Have for High School Grads

It seems this author has thought of everything and written it concisely and compactly in one terrific handbook that people of all ages will enjoy. The chapter on community is full of wise advice for graduates moving out of the house for the first time - look for friends who bring out the best in you. The tips for having guests over are super-practical, things new hosts and hostesses probably wouldn't think of - invite at least three men and three women so it doesn't feel like a double date, play background music to cover awkward silences, etc. The section on loving and respecting others and yourself is something every parent wants their young adult to know - well-stated reasons for taking care of yourself - not written academically, but interestingly. The kitchen basics chapter is wonderfully helpful with a ready-to-go shopping list for establishing your first kitchen. Menu planning and grocery shopping are covered - priceless tidbits such as teaching how store displays tempt you to buy items not on your list. Cleaning chores to do daily, weekly, seasonally, etc. - everything from discarding expired medicines from the medicine cabinet to how to clean the refrigerator. These are only a sample of the life skills young adults will learn from this fun-to-read, packed-with-practical-wisdom manual.

Essential Survival Guide to living On Your Own

Regardless of your age, there is always something new to learn -- like "Techno Lingo" or "essential emoticon list"; and it's always great to get another opinion of the essentials for the pantry, refrigerator, etc. The overall theme seems to be a mix of "getting organized" and learning how to cope with the many responsibilities of life -- and to take on those responsibilities by knowing the "essentials of survival" in today's world. This book is a very good resource for responsible families to teach their children (and themselves) various topics which will help them be responsible citizens.

Great Resource!

This is a wonderful tool for young adults moving out on their own. It is full of practical advice such as setting goals, what do do when you are sick, taking care of your car, eating well, how to pay your bills on time, and housework. While this may seem dull to some, the author writes in an engaging style that keeps your interest. I had my oldest son look it over (he's 24 and soon to be married) and he said he wished he'd read this before he moved out...he had to learn these things the hard way! This will make a great graduation gift.

Must Read for all young adults

As many others have stated, I wish I had this book years ago when I set out on my own. It has compiled information in an easy-to-use guide. I love that it has a glossary in the back to quickly find any topic you need info on. The space to write notes and answer questions is wonderful. This will be my default graduation gift this year and beyond. I work as a nanny and my 15-year-old, doesn't-like-school, can't-wait-to-get-out-on-his-own charge loved this book. He wants to study it now although it's at least three years until he will get a chance to be on his own. I was a lot like him at that age so I can relate. For anyone who has a child who wants to move out, but you don't think is ready, this would be a great book to give them (or go through together) and get a reality check on just how hard it can/will be. There are so many uses for this book, it would be a great one to keep on hand for each young person you come across.