Adulting with Will Ma: Recent Episodes
Will Ma
How do I buy a house or my first car? What should I do outside my 9 to 5 job?
Host Will Ma will join the adulting journey with you since there is so much to learn. Productivity tips, career advice, and inspirational stories are some topics we will talk about on Adulting with Will Ma. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adulting-with-will-ma/support
Having well-cared skin means that you experience less frequent breakouts and show less irritation on your face. Improving the quality of your skin is easy and can have a big impact on your life.
Here are the products I use: https://tinyurl.com/mu4774rw
The Steps You can certainly get fancier with it, but a complete skin-care routine has just five basic steps:
1. Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Serum
4. Eye Cream
5. Moisturizer
Until this becomes second nature, write it down on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror, or keep this list handy on your phone.
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Source: https://www.gq.com/story/everything-you-need-to-know-to-start-a-skincare-routine
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Time management is a skill that takes time to develop and not everyone is proficient at it. We're always in control of our time, and one habit of taking accountability ensures that you complete tasks on time.
Ali Abdaal Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/AliAbdaal/status/1497677106725146627
Ali Abdall YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoOae5nYA7VqaXzerajD0lg
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If you are struggling with a low credit score, then listen to this episode to learn strategies on how you can improve your credit score. Paying off your statements faster and keeping your credit utilization below 30% are the top two ways.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor and this episode is for informational purposes only.
Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/raise-credit-score-fast
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Achieving a work-life balance with a full-time job can feel stressful enough. Add to that the responsibilities of grad school and it may feel downright impossible. I will talk about my strategies for managing my time and how I can set boundaries in my schedule to make sure I have enough time to work on my assignments.
Avoid the “Planning Fallacy” The most common culprit of stress for grad students is the “planning fallacy”—or overestimating the time it will take to complete short tasks, and underestimating the time it takes to complete projects. Account for every hour in your week, whether it’s showering, working, commuting, cooking, or sleeping. When you need extra time for assignments, review your logbook and reprioritize.
After tracking how you spend your time, it becomes easier to establish clear boundaries, which can help with time management, as well. Map out a schedule that works with your prior commitments the night before and stick to it. If you allot 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for coursework, for example, don’t start late at 7:30 p.m.
Source: https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/grad-school-or-work/
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You certainly don't want to undermine a year of hard work. I'll provide commentary on Dave Kline's 13 tips on how to crush your next annual performance review. The performance review is a meeting where you need to embrace and a process where you can influence. This is your chance to negotiate and have data to back your reasoning for that raise you want to get.
Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/dklineii/status/1456293882795286531
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Saving enough for a down payment is totally doable if with a few smart saving strategies. Here are some tips I will talk about in the episode:
- Set your house budget
- Set your savings goal
- Set a timeline
- Make a budget and track your spending
Mortgage Calculator: https://www.trulia.com/mortgage-payment-calculator/
Source: https://www.trulia.com/guides/how-to-save-for-a-house/
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How you can learn anything with Feynman Technique. The Feynman Technique is a learning framework that forces you to strip away needless complexity and develop a deep, elegant understanding of a given topic.
Sahil Bloom's Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/sahilbloom/status/1358108840198168576?lang=en
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Have you ever wondered how you can stop procrastinating? Procrastination is defined as the action of postponing or delaying something. It's not new, everyone procrastinates. In this episode, I'll talk about the 5 core steps to stop procrastinating. Awareness, deconstruction, plan creation, stake creation, and action.
Sahil Bloom's Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/SahilBloom/status/1489968127588851724?s=20&t=OlIMTwWALX1pn_HYfkhmLQ
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An emergency fund is a stash of money that is usually kept in a high-yield savings account to cover any surprises that live throws at you. It could be unexpected expenses like unforeseen medical expenses, home repairs, car fixes, or even job loss.
Nerd Wallet Emergency Fund Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/banking/emergency-fund-calculator
Best Savings Accounts: https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/rates/
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Getting pre-approved for a mortgage makes you a more serious homebuyer candidate. In this episode, I will talk about the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval. Preapproval is the next step if you get a thumbs up during pre-qualification. During the mortgage preapproval process, a lender pulls your credit report and reviews documents to verify your income, assets, and debts. If you’re confident about your credit and financial readiness to buy a home and you’re ready to start shopping, then you might skip the pre-qualification step and go straight to preapproval.
Debt to Income Ratio Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/mortgages/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator/
Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/how-to-get-a-mortgage-preapproval & https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/mortgage-preapproval
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You are in an interview and the interviewer asks you a behavioral interview question like "Tell me a time when you did this". Your answer was all over the place and it did not impress the interviewer. With the STAR Method, you can start acing your interviews with the power of storytelling. Listen to this episode to learn how to use the STAR Method for your future interviews.
Source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method
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In today's high-paced and high-stress world, communication is more important than ever. Listening helps build relationships, solve problems, ensure understanding, resolve conflicts, and improve accuracy. At work, effective listening means fewer errors and less wasted time.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/11/09/10-steps-to-effective-listening/?sh=2753c03b3891
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Applying to health insurance should not be confusing and there is definitely a lot of jargon around health insurance. The number of acronyms there are will make your head spin. In this episode, I will talk about what to do when you turn 26 and the two acronyms you should know when you choose a health insurance plan.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1046371801/health-insurance-terms-defined-open-enrollment & https://www.healthcare.gov/young-adults/children-under-26/
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In this episode, I will teach you about my budgeting techniques and how you can spend less money. Have you ever ordered food on delivery apps and simply overspend. I'll talk about the 50-30-20 method of budgeting and the power of scarcity.
Budget Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/nerdwallet-budget-calculator
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Are you interested in buying a condo, then stay tuned and listen to this episode to learn about the pros and cons of owning a condo. Homeownership is the pathway to becoming an adult and being able to own home equity.
Given the housing market or area of town where you’re looking to purchase a home, condos may be the most popular option. In downtown areas, for example, condos are a common choice. Most downtown areas don’t have single-family houses next to office buildings and shops, but condo buildings are often mixed in with these convenient urban amenities. In the episode, I'll talk about the differences between a condo and a single-family home.
Source: https://www.newamericanfunding.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-buying-a-condo/
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When you’re ready to get a mortgage, you’ve got a lot of options. Local banks, national banks, credit unions, and mortgage companies are among the most common. Any of them could be the best mortgage lender for you, based on your needs. If you want a very hands-on experience where you can walk into a person’s office and ask questions, a local bank or credit union might be a good fit. If you want a hands-off, online-only experience, some online mortgage lenders offer that. It’s a good idea to look closely at a few vendors in each category to see which one offers terms and services that fit well with your life. You can use Trulia’s pre-qualification tool to connect with local lenders near you.
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Impact Players bring their A-game to everything they do. Impact Players make a significant individual contribution, and also have a positive effect on the entire team. They do work of exceptional value and impact, and you want more of them.
Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Players-Take-Bigger-Multiply/dp/0063063328
Check out the Liz Wiseman on the Dare to Lead Podcast with Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/impact-players/
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Before you commit to a real estate agent, here are some questions you should ask:
- Can you summarize your background, bio, and the type of real estate work you typically do?
- What is your relationship with clients like?
- What’s your strategy as a buyer’s agent?
- What’s your strategy as a buyer’s agent?
- Will you provide three references for me to call?
First-Time Home Buyer Template: https://willdotboston.gumroad.com/l/vFeTI
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How to determine how much house you can actually afford:
- Estimate your down payment
- Map out your realistic budget
- Use your debt or (lack of debt) as a guide
- See how much interest rate you'll get
- Factor in local costs like property taxes.
First-time homebuyer Notion Template: https://willdotboston.gumroad.com/l/vFeTI
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We'll talk about why it is important to be on time for work and for your appointments. Being on time can help you appear professional, lower your stress, and can have other benefits as well. I'll also dive into tips on how I am on time for most of the events I attend.
Articles mentioned in the podcast:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/being-on-time-for-work & https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/how-to-be-on-time-every-time.html
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Ever wondered how you can have better conversations with your co-workers, family, and peers?
In this episode, we refer to Celeste Headlee's TED Talk on "10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation". I picked the ones that I liked that will benefit your future conversations.
Check out the TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation
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I got my driver's license at 25 in the first week of 2022 during a pandemic. I have lived in a city where public transportation can take me from A to B, so a driver's license is nice to have instead of a need for me. I had a goal to get my driver's license by the year 2022 since I did not want my permit to expire. Once I passed my road test, I was relieved that I earned the privilege of getting my driver's license. Pushing myself to get the permit and sign up for driver's lesson was a journey in itself. I had put those items on the back burner for a while, but once I had set my eyes on the goal, I committed myself to divert all my resources on getting my driver's lesson.
There is a new driver on the loose and it's me!
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Buying a house is a different experience, but if you take things one step at a time, you can buy a house like a pro for the first time.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to buy a house in 10 steps:
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Hire a real estate agent.
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Shop for a mortgage for pre-approval.
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Make a list of needs and wants.
Listen to the episode to learn more!
Buying a Home Notion Template: https://willdotboston.gumroad.com/l/vFeTI
Source: https://www.trulia.com/guides/how-to-buy-a-house-in-10-steps/
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How do I buy a house or my first car? What should I do outside my 9 to 5 job?
These are the questions that adults are facing and you can join me in cracking the answers to all these questions. Join my adulting journey and each week I will be talking about a new topic.
Welcome to the bumpy ride!
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Are you having a tough time making friends after college? If so, you are not alone. Based on the LifeHacker article, the usual suspects are work, family, and so little time. We take on more responsibilities, and otherwise have less time than ever for anything else.
Article: https://lifehacker.com/why-its-so-hard-to-make-friends-after-college-and-wha-488975744
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Car prices are too high due to computer chip shortages and supply chain issues. Ongoing vehicle shortages mean higher prices. Limited production of new vehicles around the globe is causing dealers to have a short supply to meet the demand. Therefore, used car prices are jumping upwards of $30,000.
Are you going to buy a car in 2022?
Articles mentioned in the podcast: https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/business/car-prices-easing-2022/index.html & https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/car-buying-tips-for-2022-how-to-navigate-the-storm.html
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