What should I do before I turn 30?

[Epyon MX]

I'm turning 25 in a few weeks and I've been doing the whole "what is life?" deal, since I'm no longer "young". I have a short term list of things to do, but what about long-term. I've started a list of "30 Things To Do Before I Turn 30". 30x30. Kinda like a bucket list I suppose, but more time-sensitive. I've got 18 items now and I'll post my list a little later, but for now, what do y'all think I should do before I turn 30? We're all from such different places, I'm curious what you think.

[dmiller68]

Hum... 30 was awhile ago... I would have to switch to 50, shutter...

I'll see if I can come up with some for you...

[Twilight]

Don't sweat 30 too much dude. I'm 4 years from 40 and it really does not bother me at all. I think the older you get, the less it bothers you. My big suggestions are as follows:

1. Finish your education NOW! (assuming you have not already done so)

2. Start an IRA or 401K type thing. As broke as you may be, you really CAN afford $20 a week to squirell away.

3. DON'T have any kids till your 30! for a healthy male, 35-40 is a good time to start a family. Also, get all the poon you can now and get it out of your system now.

There are a million things to do, but these are the ones that you MUST do!

[ZoomZoom71]

1. Purchase your primary residence.
2. Purchase a rental property.
3. Create as much passive income as possible.
4. Get married and have at least 1 kid.

[Epyon MX]

Here's my list as it stands right now:

Work/ School:
1) Finish my Master's in Mechanical Engineering
2) Find a long-term rewarding job
3) Start a retirement fund (thanks, Twilight, I had forgotten this one)
4) Get certified as a Professional Engineer.

Adventure:
5) Travel to the Pacific Northwest
6) Travel to Europe
7) Climb consistently in the 5.12 range in rock climbing
8) Boulder consistently in the 7 range of bouldering (rock climbing w/o a rope)
9) Summit a peak over 10,000 feet
10) Go on a multi-day kayak trip
11) Go skydiving

Domestic:
12) Buy a home
13) Tend a fruitful garden (mostly herb)
14) Host and prepare an entire 3-4 course dinner for at least six people.

Miscellany:
15) Read these books:
-- (very long list)
16) Learn to whistle
17) Read my Bible cover to cover.
18) Write cursive fluidly and quickly.

Those are 18 good ones I think. Possible to do in 5 years, but still a challenge.

I'm still up in the air about kids, so I'll table that one for now. What do you mean by passive income, Zoom? Like earning from interest or from renting a place out?

[lovekeiiy]

You haven't started saving for tetirement yet? Start now!!! And save as much as you can afford. You can also lower the amount later when needed such as a mortgage. You cannot make up for the compounding. At your age, the suggest saving pattern is 5% income, 5% conservation, 15% aggressive, 25% balance, 25% income & value. This is just a suggested allocation for your age group. Obviously, things as time to retirement, and other risk tolerances may effect the suggested allocation.

As for adventure, you forgot drive through Compton while wearing a pointed white hood, not hoodie.

[ZoomZoom71]

Originally Posted by Epyon MX

What do you mean by passive income, Zoom? Like earning from interest or from renting a place out?

Passive income is what you can earn and NOT have to be present for it. Rental income is one way. Becoming a business owner is another (such as buying a restaurant franchise, but having others run the business for you). I suggest reading two books by Robert Kyosaki: Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom. They're concept books that may give you a new way to look at earning/managing your money.

[dmiller68]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom71

Passive income is what you can earn and NOT have to be present for it. Rental income is one way.

Ok, I wouldn't call rental passive income there is a lot of work to manage rental properties unless you have someone do it for you. However, I'm not an expert I just watch how much work my parents put into there two properties.

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401k / retirement very, very important. If work doesn't offer one do a roth or other solution. You should target 10% of your income. It may hurt to start but you will be amazed how much you can put away.

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Other goals focus on life don't get caught up in the rat race. Take a vacation every year for at least a week strait. This is very important to your health I can tell you this from first hand. Try to get focused on some sort of basic workout 2-3 times a week. It is very hard to start the discipline once you are older. again from first hand exp...

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Focus on the relationship before you think about kids... We waited 7 years before having kids and we don't regret it one bit. It gives you time to get to know each other before bringing in another that divides your time together. I guess what I'm saying is you don't need to be in a hurry but wait until the time is right and you will know when it is.

[Lord Sam]

Originally Posted by Twilight

2. Start an IRA or 401K type thing. As broke as you may be, you really CAN afford $20 a week to squirell away.

That is the best idea on these lists, nice job Twilight and others who suggested it as well.

I'd like to add another thing to the list; keep this momentum going after you hit 30! Maybe the 30th thing on your list should be make a 40/40 list.

You have a great list so far, nice mix of various interests.

[DymnDog]

You can start a list of things you should NEVER do after you turn 30. Then again this could also be used as part of your list of things you can still do until then:

A few suggestions from Esquire.com:
1. Use the word party as a verb.
2. Shots.
3. Body shots.
4. Jell-O shots. Especially Jell-O shots.
5. Read a book with the words Zen and the Art of in the title.
6. Do impressions of Austin Powers characters, especially Dr. Evil.
7. Help friends move.
8. Ask friends to help you move.
9. Crash on a friend's floor or couch.
10. Refer to breasts as "chesticles."
11. Experiment with facial hair.
12. Let your underpants show above your jeans or below your shorts.
13. Apply paint to your face for any reason at all.
14. Own beer-drinking paraphernalia.
15. Own a skull bong.
16. Know the names of the current Real World cast.
17. Remove your shirt in public--unless there is sand and a large body of water nearby.
18. Use the word dude, except when referring to a ranch or a well-dressed Englishman.
19. Use the word dawg in a sentence when referring to a friend or, worse, yourself.
20. Own a futon.
21. Own a beanbag chair.
22. Hang art framelessly.
23. Hang tapestries.
24. Drink malternative beverages.
25. Don a puka-bead necklace.
26. Google ex-girlfriends.
27. Break up with a girlfriend by e-mail.
28. Engage in pranks involving airborne food.
29. Own a Lava lamp.
30. Pool hop.
31. Live with someone you don't sleep with.
32. Share a hotel room with someone you don't sleep with.
33. Play fantasy sports.
34. Divide a restaurant bill with a friend in any way other than 50-50.
35. Sleep past 10:30.
37. Cook exclusively on a George Foreman grill.
38. Wear a jersey with the name of a professional athlete on the back.
39. Employ any other pickup line besides "Hi, my name is _____. What's yours?"
40. Listen to Pink Floyd.
41. Use Internet acronyms, especially ROFL and LOL.
42. Shave any part of your body except your face.
43. Enjoy Jerry Bruckheimer movies.
44. Run with the bulls in Pamplona.
45. Attend Mardi Gras, Carnaval, or Burning Man.
46. Own a fish tank.
47. Fall asleep in public.
48. Call drugs by their street names (e.g., junk, smack, or whitebag).
49. Pick a fistfight by thrusting out your neck, flexing, and screaming, "It's go time!"

[Lord Geoff]

Damnit! I am 36 and have done at least 30% of those things since turning 30!

Also, I am not buying into the whole having kids thing... that is going to be the way I reduce my carbon footprint, with tracks that end!

[Wondermonkey]

Ménage à trois. After 30 it's much creepier.

Seems like you got a good list, I would table the having kids before 30 too, and have. There's no quicker way to have to forcefully shorten your list than that. You've got time man!