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The things nobody taught you

20 guides to the practical knowledge that saves real money and occasionally saves a house. Written plainly, for people who have never done any of it before.

Every one is a printable PDF you can keep in a drawer. Each says clearly what you can do yourself and — just as importantly — where to stop and call someone licensed.

01

Water & Basic Plumbing

Stop a leak, clear a clog, and know where the shutoff is before you need it

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02

Electrical Safety at Home

Reset a breaker, test an outlet, and know exactly where to stop

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03

Appliances, HVAC & Water Heater

Filters, dryer vents, thermostats — the small jobs that prevent the big bills

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04

Keeping a Car Alive

Change a tire, jump a battery, read the lights, and stop being overcharged

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05

Beginner Carpentry & Home Repair

Find a stud, patch a hole, hang things that stay up, and fix a sticking door

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06

Painting & Wall Finishing

Fill a hole properly, cut a straight line, and paint a room that looks done

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07

Sewing & Clothing Repair

Sew a button, fix a hem, close a seam, and stop throwing clothes away

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08

Laundry & Fabric Care

Read a care label, lift a stain, and stop shrinking things you like

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09

Cooking Real Food

Knife safety, five meals you can build anything from, and not poisoning anyone

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10

Emergencies & First Aid

What to do in the first five minutes, and how to be ready for a Texas storm

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11

Money, Credit & Bills

Where it goes, what credit really costs, and how to stop paying more than you have to

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12

Leases, Contracts & Not Getting Ripped Off

Read a lease, judge a quote, and recognize the pressure being applied to you

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13

The Paperwork That Runs Your Life

The documents you need, where to keep them, and what happens if nobody can find them

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14

Using AI Without Getting Burned

What these tools are good at, where they quietly fail, and how to check

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15

Spotting AI Fakes

Cloned voices, fake faces, and messages written to sound like someone you love

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16

Your Data & Who Has It

What your phone collects, who buys it, and the settings that actually matter

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17

The AI Already in Your House

Your phone, speaker, TV and car are already using it — make them work for you

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18

Using AI at Work

Real time saved, without leaking company data or losing your job over it

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19

Getting Hired in the AI Age

Your résumé is read by software before a person sees it — here is how to get past it

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20

AI & Your Kids

Homework, chatbot friends, and the conversations worth having early

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More are being written. If there is something you keep paying somebody else to do and would rather understand, tell us and it goes on the list.

How these are written

  • Plain language. If a word has to be technical, it gets explained in the glossary at the back.
  • Every guide names the jobs to hand to a licensed professional. Gas, mains panels and brakes are not DIY, and we say so rather than pretending otherwise.
  • Written for someone who has never held the tool before, not for someone brushing up.
  • A checklist at the end, so reading turns into doing.
  • Free, printable, and yours. No sign-up, no email required.

Stuck on something not covered here?

Ask us. We answer real questions from real people, and there is no such thing as one too basic.

Life Skills — Free Practical Guides — DFW AI