Life skills every woman should know
Every woman should know how to handle her own money, read her health numbers, stay safe at home, online and out, make basic home and car fixes, give first aid, and speak up at work and in life. This checklist covers 223 of those skills, each with a short guide, a quick quiz and a box to mark it learned, saved privately on your device.
How it works
- Open a skill. The first paragraph is the direct answer; the steps, common mistakes and the stop and call box follow.
- Take the three question quiz. Your score is kept so you can see what to review.
- Tick it learned. Print an area's checklist, or work through a life moment when something changes.
Your checklist, quiz results and safety card stay in this browser on this device. There is no account and nothing is uploaded.
The 17 areas
Start from the moment you are in
Moving out, living alone, after a breakup, a first solo trip, turning 40, a new job: each life moment is a short set of skills in the order you will need them.
- Moving out, 13 skills
- Living alone, 14 skills
- After a breakup, 11 skills
- First solo trip, 10 skills
- Turning 40, 14 skills
- New job, 10 skills
- Before a divorce, 9 skills
- When a spouse dies, 9 skills
- Buying a first home, 14 skills
- The starter 20, 20 skills
Or read the guides, starting with things every woman should know how to do.
Tools that keep it going
- A 30-day plan: one skill a day from a life moment or an area, shown on today's page.
- A mock check: twenty questions from the areas you choose, with your weak spots.
- Kit lists and seasonal checklists to tick and print.
- Emergency wallet cards for CPR, choking, stroke signs and more.
- The glossary: plain meanings for the terms the guides use.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most important life skills for a woman to learn?
Start with the ones that protect your options: a budget and an emergency fund, credit in your own name, the screenings for your age, a trip sharing habit, two-factor sign-in, the water shutoff and the breaker panel, a tire change, and hands-only CPR. The starter 20 life moment collects them in one list.
What should every woman know how to do at home?
Find and close the main water valve, reset a tripped breaker, clear a drain and a toilet, stop a running toilet, use a drill, find a stud, hang something heavy safely, patch small holes, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and know to leave first and call from outside if you smell gas.
What should every woman know about money?
Keep credit and at least one account in your own name, know every account and debt in your household, build an emergency fund, claim any retirement match, read a lease before signing, and check your credit reports. None of the money guides tell you what to invest in; they explain how things work and what to ask a licensed professional.
What should a woman living alone know about safety?
Mostly habits set up once: a door and window check that works in a rental, initials rather than a full name on the mailbox, a plan for an unexpected knock, a neighbor who has your number, trusted contacts on your phone, trip sharing with a friend, and working alarms. The living alone safety checklist guide walks through each one.
Which health screenings does a woman need, and when?
It depends on your age, history and country, so treat any list as a starting point for a conversation with your clinician. The health screenings by age guide summarizes national preventive guidance by age band, with the date it was reviewed, and the card page lets you record your own screening dates.
What should every woman know how to do with a car?
Check tire pressure monthly, change a flat on level ground, jump start in the right clamp order, read the dashboard lights, keep an emergency kit, know what to do if you break down alone, and read a mechanic quote line by line before you approve it.
How many life skills should I know by 30?
There is no number to hit. This list has 223 skills, and most people learn them as life asks for them. Pick a life moment that matches where you are, or learn today's skill each day; at one a day you would cover the whole list in about 7 months.
Is this list different from the men's list?
Yes. The men's list is a separate sister site, EveryManSkills at everymanskills.com. Some essentials are the same for everyone, like CPR, a flat tire and a budget: 45 of the 223 skills here are shared essentials, written with their own examples and quizzes. Most skills are different, with more on health literacy, personal and digital safety, money in your own name and life admin.
Is it free?
Yes. Everything on the site is free, with no account: every guide and quiz, the checklist in every area, the print pages, the life moments, the 30-day plan, the mock checks, the wallet cards, the kit and seasonal lists, the skills passport and the safety and admin card. No paid plan is offered at present.
More answers on the FAQ page.