Adulting Checklist (Finance Edition): A Simple Guide to Money Basics (No Pressure, Just Clarity)

Adulting is weird.

One day, iniisip mo lang kung anong ulam. Next thing you know, iniisip mo na ang bills, savings, emergency fund, insurance, at kung “okay pa ba ako as an adult?”

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

A few years ago, I created this Adulting Checklist (Finance Edition) not because expert na ako, but because I needed clarity too. I wanted something simple. Walang sermon. Walang pressure. Just a way to check in with myself financially and syempre, I needed a simpler way to share financial clarity with my Sun Life clients.

Recently, this same checklist started gaining traction again sa Tiktok at nasa 160k+ views na (hello, New Year energy ✨). And honestly, it still makes sense because the questions we ask about money don’t really change.

The Adulting Checklist (Finance Edition) is a simple self-assessment tool designed to help beginners and young professionals understand their current financial situation.

This checklist helps you reflect on:

• Your money habits

• Your basic financial readiness

• The areas you may want to improve, at your own pace

Hindi sya test. Hindi rin scorecard.
And definitely not something you need to finish in one sitting.

Inside the checklist, you’ll find questions related to basic financial foundations, such as:

• Knowing where your money goes

• Having savings (kahit maliit pa lang)

• Building an emergency fund

• Understanding basic financial protection

• Setting financial priorities with intention

These are not “advanced finance” topics. These are real-life adulting basics most of us figure out along the way.

Here’s the best way to use this checklist:

✔️ Mark what you already have — celebrate those wins

✔️ Don’t aim to check everything

✔️ Choose 1–2 items you want to focus on this year

✔️ Ignore the rest for now (yes, allowed ‘yan)

Progress matters more than perfection.

Adulting isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about making slightly better choices, one step at a time.

Many people think they’re “behind” financially when in reality, they’re just early in the process.

This checklist exists to:

• Remove guilt from financial planning

• Give clarity without pressure

• Help you meet yourself where you are

You’re not late.
You’re learning.

You can download the Adulting Checklist (Finance Edition) below and use it as a gentle guide for your financial journey.

And if you want help turning this checklist into a simple plan that fits your income, goals, and season of life, we can talk.

No pressure. No judgment. Just clarity.

Adulting doesn’t require perfection. It requires awareness, patience, and kindness, especially toward yourself.

One step is still a step.

This checklist is just a starting point. It gives you clarity on your financial habits, but there’s so much more you can do!

Would you like me to share practical steps, examples, and tools to actually track your expenses, build your emergency fund, manage debt, and grow your money?