Here are five more skills that should be in your back pocket every day. 

Reading a Map 

Sometimes, GPS can be a little hinky, especially in rural areas. And, even if it’s not a rural area that you are traveling to, it’s a good idea to take a look at a map to double-check the directions given by the GPS application on your phone or in your car. You might discover that it’s sending you out of the way in favor of interstates when there are other multi-lane or more direct highways to get you to your destination. So, how do you get started?  

First of all, open your map. You’ll find that it’s an art in itself to refold it – practice makes perfect <wink, wink>. Now, look for the map’s legend. That’s where you’ll find important information on how the map shows interstates, multi-lane highways, state roads, railroads, symbols, etc. It’s also where you’ll find the information on how to calculate distance on the map, e.g. one-inch equals 50 miles.  

Once you are familiar with the symbols and roads, locate your starting point and destination. If you’re in a hurry, find the interstates and multi-lane highways that will get you there, but if you have time, you might want to consider the “smaller” roads that take you through small towns to see the “world’s largest ball of twine” or the baseball museum for Moonlight Graham. The trip can be as much of an adventure as the one you’re looking forward to at your destination.  

Now that you’ve mapped your route, take a ruler and measure the distance from beginning to end and check it against the legend. If your distance is 4.5 inches long, then your trip is approximately 225 miles. Looking at the type of roads you’ll be traveling, you can also come up with an estimation of your travel time – using 50 miles per hour as an average, it will take 4 and a half hours to get to your destination. Happy trails! 

Check Your Tire Pressure 

Even with the fancy-dancy systems on today’s automobiles, some won’t tell you which tire is low and by how much. It’s always a good idea to visually check your tires regularly to see if they look a little low or are showing signs of wear.  

If the message area on your dash is telling you that you have a low tire, here’s what you need to do. Readings should be taken when the tires are cool because driving on your tires will warm them up and make the air inside expand. Check your owner’s manual for capacities or the same information can be found in the jamb of the driver’s side door. This will give you the optimal inflation for your vehicle. Checking the sidewalls of your tires will tell you their maximum inflation.  

Then, check the air in your tires using an air pressure gauge, a handy device that’s inexpensive and can be kept in your glove box. Remove the valve stem cover and press the gauge over it. The air level will be shown by an indicator pin that pops out with pressure scales on it; some versions of the air pressure gauge will be digital. Make sure you are looking at the right scale, which is PSI or pounds per square inch. 

When you find the low tire, place the air inflation device over the stem and fill until the optimal pressure is reached. You’ll measure that with the same type of device attached to the inflation tube. Finally, reapply the valve stem cover. 

Pro Tip: Don't forget to check on your spare tire from time to time and make sure you have a working jack in your vehicle.

Check your oil level 

The gauges on your vehicle will help let you know if you have a problem – overheating, a drop in oil pressure, etc. - but you should always do a manual oil check from time to time. Checking your oil is easy to do and is recommended before taking to the highways for long drives because low oil, or even worse, no oil, can lead to very, VERY expensive repair bills. 

Here’s what you need to do. Before cranking the engine, make sure your car is parked on level ground, then lift the hood and find the oil dipstick. In most new cars, it will be easy to find because it will have a yellow pull loop. Pull the dipstick out of the engine and wipe it clean with a paper towel, then stick it back in the portal. Remove it again and read the oil level.  

You should see two tick marks – one marked F (for full) and one marked L (for low). If the level is in between the F and L, the oil levels are OK, but you should begin monitoring the levels regularly. If the level is low, replace the dipstick and locate the Oil Filler Cap. The cap will be easy to find on most newer cars because it will be yellow, clearly labeled, and on top of the valve cover. Check your owner’s manual to know what type of oil to fill with and carefully pour the oil into the opening. Be careful not to spill any and also to not put too much oil in. Too much oil is just as bad as no oil. Check the dipstick again to make sure your oil is at the right level, replace and tighten the Oil Filler Cap, and lower the hood. 

Your oil should be changed according to the recommendations of your owner’s manual. Many new cars require oil changes every 5,000-7,500 miles depending on the type of oil used. Older cars might need to have their oil changed as often as every 3,000 miles.  

As a general rule, if your vehicle isn’t a daily driver and the miles accumulated over the course of a year don’t equal 3,000 or 5,000 total, you should get your oil changed once a year. Also, when you’re checking your oil, pay attention to the color of it because that can be an indicator of engine problems. If you notice darker oil than usual or gritty oil, call your mechanic. 

Take a message/Leave a message 

Taking and leaving messages might seem passe in this time of voicemail and texts, but on occasion, the need does arise. Plus, when you leave a voicemail message in a work setting, if it is complete, you have a better chance of getting a return call. 

If you are answering the phone at a business, here are some questions to ask the caller to help the message recipient be better informed. Ask for the name and phone number of the person calling – remember, the Caller ID may be for a work phone, someone else’s phone, or from a place where the caller may not be available later. Read the information back to the caller to make sure that you have recorded it correctly.  

Then, ask for information about what the call is regarding. Make any notes necessary to help the recipient understand the caller’s needs. And finally, ask for a good time to return the call. You may need to explain that the recipient is away from the office, unable to return calls for a certain period, etc., but don’t get too personal. Add your name to the note, so if there are questions, you might remember something that becomes pertinent that was not recorded. 

When leaving a message, particularly when leaving a message at a business, always tell them who is calling with your full name, then give your return telephone number. Always include in your message what your call is regarding – this will allow the recipient to be better prepared to help you with the issue or to provide the right information. If there is a better time to return your call, let them know that. Then at the end, always repeat your name and your phone number, so they don’t have to re-listen to the whole call again to gather the information.  

Sew on a Button 

Don’t let a lost button lead to throwing away your favorite shirt (or pants). Making this minor repair takes about five minutes with minimal effort and materials. Most shirts and pants will have an extra button on the hem or placard (sometimes the pocket or seam on pants) to be used to replace one that breaks or becomes lost. Here’s what you’ll need: 

A needle and 24 inches of thread (if possible, match the thread color of the fabric or that which is used to attach the other buttons), a button, a pair of scissors or a knife, and a second needle or toothpick.  

To begin, cut your thread to 24 inches, thread it through the eye of the needle, and make a small knot in the end. Hold on to the knot and tug the needle to even it up. Now, sewing from the underside of where you want the button to be, pass the thread through the material to the topside and then pass it back to the backside making a small hashmark maybe 1/8-inch long. Then do that a second time to create an “X” that will be used as the anchor point of your button. 

Place the button on the right side of the garment over the “X” and run your needle and thread up through one of the holes, then put the other needle or toothpick across the button and run the needle and thread across the needle and through the hole to the underside. Repeat this action 3-4 times in each pair of holes.  

Now, with the needle and thread on the backside, run the needle through the fabric but not through a buttonhole. Remove the second needle/toothpick and wrap the needle and thread around the sewing attaching the button to the garment. This allows the button to be more easily fastened. Then, run the needle and thread back through the garment to the backside and tie it off by creating a loop and running it back through it like you’re tying your shoes. You might want to do that a couple of times, then snug it down, and cut the thread. Voila! You are back in business. 

Pro Tip: Whenever a shirt or pair of pants is worn out and ready for retirement, clip the buttons off and store them in a box. You’ll always be ready for the next repair without having to purchase new buttons.