Adulting Guidebook
This is a work in progress, but our Adulting Guidebook explains some basic adulting tips. Stay tuned as we add tips to our YouTube Channel, @AdultingIsReal. For now, access the page below (hyperlinks in green). If you have questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please reach out to heather@junketnyc.org.
Household
Fair Fares
Half-price metro cards are available for those who live in NYC and make under a certain income limit. You can visit the Fair Fares website and take their eligibility quiz to find out if you qualify and they walk you through the application process.
Food Pantry Resources
There is a vast network of food bank services throughout the city. There is an app called Plentiful that can be downloaded which provides pantry information. The resources linked above provide detailed information. It is by no means exhaustive but is a good starting point.
Feminine Products
The Cycle Alliance works to provide free menstrual products in libraries throughout NYC. They are always available at the Brooklyn Central Library at Grand Army Plaza and their website indicates other events going on throughout the year with other distribution programs.
Basic Tool Kit
A basic tool kit is great to have on hand when you move into your first apartment. This is a list of basic tools to get you started.
Phillips Head Screwdriver
Flathead Screwdriver
Hammer
Mallet
Tape Measure
Pliers
Utility Knife
Level
Flashlight
Allen Wrench Set
Affordable Housing Lottery
NYC Housing Connect is the hub for the affordable housing lotteries. Creating a profile is the first step and from there you can apply for affordable housing options that match with your household size and income level. Locking in an apartment will give you decent rent in NYC as long as you are here.
Free Wifi for Nycha Residents
NYC's Office of Technology and Innovation officially launched Big Apple Connect in September 2022 to ensure that NYCHA residents have access to free, fast, reliable, and safe internet. NYCHA residents without existing home internet will be able to sign up for Big Apple Connect with either Optimum or Spectrum (service provider will depend on where you live).
Pet Care
The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals has connected with certain food banks in the city to provide free pet food and supplies. Information regarding free or low-cost spaying/neutering services can be found through NYC Health.
Fire Safety
Always make sure you have working fire/carbon monoxide alarms in your kitchen and near your bedrooms. This is the responsibility of your landlord to make sure your apartment has them.
Another good item to keep handy is a fire blanket. This replaces a fire extinguisher and will put out any small files in your home by removing the air, which is how fires spread. You can buy one on Amazon, and they have a few price options available.
Here is a link to information about the fire blanket.
Financial
Credit Monitoring
The Experian app provides FREE credit report information so you can be aware of your credit score at any time. It alerts you when there are changes to your credit and additional resources that can be helpful.
Credit Freezing
Freezing your credit is a free way to stop anyone from opening accounts, like credit cards, insurance, phone plans, or loans, in your name. It’s a way of protecting both your personal information as well as your credit score. Here is a helpful guide on how to freeze your credit. You can also unfreeze your credit at any time if you need to (but you must have access to your saved passwords)
Credit Building
A simple way to build credit is to use a secured credit card. If you’re interested, start by reading through this article that explains more.
The process can feel complicated, but we can walk with you each step of the way so it feels manageable and the best part, your score will increase in 6 months if you follow the steps.
Budgeting
No matter how much money you’re making, budgeting is key to reaching whatever financial goals you have set for yourself. We are happy to provide a basic budgeting template and walk you through how to personalize it to track your money. If you’re wanting to find an app to help you budget, here is a helpful article that breaks down different free options and the pros/cons of each of them.
High Yield Savings
Opening a high yield savings can be a great first step to opening a checking account at a reliable FDIC insured bank. You can have your paycheck direct deposited, and while the money sits there it will accumulate interest, which is free money. It’s also a great option to have for long term as an emergency fund and/or to use as you save up for larger purchases. Check out this article which breaks it down further.
Whole Life Insurance
Whole Life Insurance provides not only traditional insurance coverage (financial assistance to your loved ones in the event of your passing) but also functions as a long-term savings account that accrues interest. The earlier you start a policy the better, because the rates are cheaper the younger you are and never increase. Whole life policies can be borrowed against to help fund larger purchases (home, car, unexpected medical costs) and also be an investment for retirement.
Education & Job Training
Fair Futures
Fair Futures is a program available to anyone who has gone through foster care in NYC up to the age of 26. The program offers coaching, advocacy and job training among other supports.
Year Up
Year Up is a year-long intensive professional training and internship program that provides a stipend during the training experience. They have a high success rate of linking their graduates to long-term employment options. Click the link above to learn more about the program and if it would be a good fit for you.
Health
Health Insurance
Navigating health insurance can feel overwhelming and we are happy to help apply for insurance or look over your current coverage to better understand what the costs are and what your policy covers. If you live in NYC and don’t currently have health insurance, a great place to start is MetroPlus . They offer plans that cover New Yorkers with a variety of income levels at low or no cost.
Mental Health
Managing your mental health is just as important as your physical health. We are able to help connect you with providers and services to help you access space to process and navigate whatever you’re going through in a safe, professional environment.
If you’re currently experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC offers free 24/7 support by simply dialing or texting 988 on your phone. You can also live chat with a representative on the 988 website.
Checklist of Health Appointments
One tricky part of transitioning into adulthood can be managing your own health needs without much accountability. We’re happy to link you to doctors to make sure you’re getting all your preventive appointments done as well as any specialists you may need to see.
Below is a list of general health appointments that are important to schedule:
Annual Physical with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) including bloodwork and sexually transmitted infection testing
Annual OB/GYN appointment (for women) including cervical cancer screening every 3 years
Dental cleaning (every 6 months)
Annual skin check to screen for skin cancer (with dermatologist)
Eye exam every 2 years if you have vision problems (can do it every 5 if no issues)
Health & Nutrition
At Junket we believe prioritizing health and good nutrition causes a ripple effect of positive impact on all areas of life. We’re happy to talk through health goals and provide resources. If you’re looking for something more structured, Noom provides guidance for healthy eating and gives the psychology behind how and why we make our food choices. Apple Fitness offers fitness classes coupled with the Apple Watch enables you to track sleep, steps, and heart rate. Both Noom and Apple Fitness offer free trials so you can test them out before committing to a subscription.
One Medical
We are currently working to partner with One Medical to provide Junket members with enhanced virtual and in-person medical and mental health support. Stay tuned!
FREE Finds in NYC
Culture Pass
If you have a NYC library card, you have access to Culture Pass which lets you reserve FREE passes to 100+ different museums and attractions throughout the city.