“Anything you want to be better at, no matter your age, hire a coach/mentor/trainer. It’s the biggest cheat code to life and usually not prohibitively expensive.”

"At the very least, join a club! Also, my big tip for people into 'gear' hobbies (fishing, boating, cars, jeeps, etc.) is to join the club BEFORE buying the gear!! People in the club will tell you what to buy, what to avoid, or point you towards good deals. Also, most are looking to upgrade and will happily sell you theirs!"

"There are many things that you can buy the tools for, even for a one-time job, and still end up paying less overall than hiring it out. Like changing your oil. Oil pan, oil wrench, ramps, oil, filter. It's still cheaper than Jiffy Lube, and those tools will get used over and over."

"Or tell them your connecting flight has been canceled due to weather. I've worked in hotels for 20 years. This works every time."

"Even quicker way: if you have a pot or pan with dried food in it, put some water in it and set it back on the stove. The boiling water cleans it off, so you can just do a quick wipe and put it in the dishwasher."

"100%. This, plus punctuality, will take you far."

Note: Responses have been edited for length/clarity.