YOUR GUIDE TO PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES
From the fires in California to the floods in Texas, this year has reminded us that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. September is National Preparedness Month, and we’re offering a free, three-page guide that provides several measures – such as putting together an emergency kit – to help keep you safe.
Download the kit here.
IT’S 100 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS
Welp, it’s 100 days away from Christmas and the holiday season. Here’s a few tips to plan your winter activities.
Make travel plans. Use our Travel Kit for your visit back home or a fun getaway. Ask for time off from work now.
Save money. If you’ve already been saving money, great. If not, you could have $300 on hand if you start putting aside $25 a week from now until Dec. 2. Make a budget for presents (for others and yourself) and traveling. Other expenses pop up during the holidays – such as food for potlucks, stamps for Christmas cards, Secret Santa gifts and donations – so keep that in mind.
Write up your lists. If you love giving out presents to family and friends, think about others, such as work colleagues and Secret Santa giveaways. Need ideas? Try food, gift cards and bath products.
Mark your calendar for parties and events. If you want to throw a party, start planning. And grab tickets now if you want to attend a holiday-themed concert or show.
Whether you’re gathering with friends and family or having a quiet time alone, we hope you have a joyful time. We send good vibes to those who work in retail, health care and the hospitality industry during this season. For those who don’t celebrate, may you have peace in however you spend the holidays.
#SOLOLIVES: DOROTHY HEIGHT
#SoloLives is our feature in which we look at notable single women in history.
Dorothy Height was an American civil rights activist. Here are three facts about her:
In her seven decades of activism, she led the National Council of Negro Women, helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus and organized the 1963 March on Washington. She was an adviser to political leaders and fought against lynching and for stronger voter registration laws.
When she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Obama called her “the godmother of the civil rights movement and a hero to so many Americans.”
Writer Robin Caldwell noted, “Dorothy Height died childless, having never married. To some women that would be a sin and a shame. To me and countless others who appreciated her presence as a civil-rights activist and women’s ‘club’ movement leader, she died leaving a multitude of daughters.” (We found this quote in “All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation” by Rebecca Traister.)
YOUR GUIDE FOR SEPTEMBER 2025
With the end of summer, September can feel like a fresh start. Even if you’re not in the education field, you just want to grab some new school supplies or make new goals.
Our checklists can help you out.
Monthly Checklist – This helps you map out the month ahead by saving money for upcoming events and scheduling time for errands. And it’s free.
Yearly Adulting Checklist – Our free one-page guide makes sure you’ve done your financial and health tasks.
New Life Starter Kit – Great for college graduates, this helps your job and apartment search.
Travel Kit – Plan your next trip.
Health Kit - Keep track of your medical history and appointments.
September marks the start of the busiest time of the year. Here’s what’s coming up:
Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day
Monday, Sept. 15 - Taxes due for self-employed
Monday, Sept. 22 - Rosh Hashanah
Start thinking about …
Thursday, Oct. 2 - Yom Kippur
Monday, Oct. 13 - Indigenous People’s Day
Monday, Oct. 20 - Diwali
Friday, Oct. 31 – Halloween
Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day, Singles Day
Thursday, Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving
Sunday, Dec. 14-Monday, Dec. 22 – Hanukkah
Thursday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
Friday, Dec. 26-Thursday, Jan. 1 – Kwanzaa
Wednesday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
BOOK REVIEW: “THRIVE SOLO” by lucy meggeson
“So accustomed have we become to the furious thrash metal and aggressive vocals of Megadeth drilling into our brains 24/7, we have no idea how our lives would change if only we would just throw on some Stevie Wonder,” writes Lucy Meggeson in her book, “Thrive Solo: Embracing the Freedom, Joy, and Opportunity of a Single, Childfree Life.”
Meggeson, a British writer who runs the “Thrive Solo” podcast and membership community, has written a pep talk to single women. In chapter after chapter, Meggeson touts all the virtues of the solo life, covering topics from travel to living child-free.
Living solo gives women peace of mind that they don’t have to please anyone but themselves. “It’s bloody awesome not to have to think about anyone else when it comes to how I spend my time,” she writes. “My days are my own; my schedule is my own; my plans are my own; my decisions are my own; my life is my own.”
She adds, “It’s only when you live on your own that you know for 100 percent certain that no one within those four walls has the power to upset you, annoy you, hassle you, shout at you, moan at you, complain at you, bore the crap out of you, or generally shift your mood from cool, calm and collected to angry, upset and frustrated.” Say it louder for the people in the back!
Meggeson conducted dozens of interviews with other single women, from all ages and different parts of the world. Some of the best quotes come from these women, such as Maddie’s views on solo travel: “You pay so much more attention, and I think life is about paying attention, and choosing where you put that attention.” On not having children, Helen notes, “I love kids. But it’s the lifestyle I never wanted, and honestly, as I’ve got older, I’ve just got surer of that decision.”
Meggeson, as noted in the first quote, is a big believer in thinking positive, offering several tips on how to change your perspective.
It's fun to see a woman relish living on her own, knowing that it can be wonderful to make our own decisions and just conk out on the sofa with no one is telling us what to do. For those single women who still feel out of place in the world, Meggeson’s book is a great guide that shows that it’s a good place to be.
IT’S 100 DAYS UNTIL THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that sneak up on you since there’s no set date. The holiday takes place 100 days from now, Thursday, Nov. 27. While it’s hot outside, it’s always good to think ahead.
Start making your travel plans. Use our Travel Kit to organize a fun trip or a visit back home.
Begin saving money. Even if you’re not traveling, there’s a lot going on that weekend -– including Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday – that could invade your checking account.
Think about items that you could buy on sale. If you’ve been itching to get an appliance, furniture and other item, make a list and see if they have a good deal during the sales period.
If you are planning to host a Friendsgiving, we hope you stuff yourself with food and fun. If you plan on spending the weekend alone, watching TV and reading and doing nothing, that sounds awesome. If you work in retail, health care or other industry in which you are busy during the holiday, we send you all the good vibes.
#SoloLives: Jane Austen
#SoloLives is our feature in which we look at notable single women in history.
It’s a big year for Jane Austen. Although she is arguably the most famous romance writer in history, she never married. Here are three facts about Jane Austen:
She is the British author is the author of six novels, including “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.” The books have endured for centuries, with the plots adapted to fit different cultures and modern times. Clueless and Bridget Jones’s Diary are the most famous examples. There are new versions of her novels, “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility,” that are currently being filmed. The Jane Austen House has a special exhibit, Austenmania, on film and TV productions from her works that were made 30 years ago.
Celebrations are in force for the 250th anniversary of her birth. This BBC article spotlights the festivities this year.
This History article explores why Austen never married.
YOUR ROADMAP FOR AUGUST
It’s August, the month without a holiday. Oh.
Think of it as a reprieve. No gifts to buy, no parties to go to, no pressure. Just sit in a cool spot and relax.
This month, we’re introducing our new Monthly Checklist that will help you map out the month ahead. We’ve got space for the usual chores – paying bills and cleaning the house. But look at your calendar to see what events you have coming up. Do you need to designate any money for gifts, parking or other incidentals? Do you need to buy supplies or run errands this month? This simple two-page guide can help.
Download the FREE Monthly Checklist.
Here’s our Yearly Adulting Checklist, our one-page guide that helps you keep track of those chores in life to maintain your health, finances and sanity.
Download the FREE Yearly Adulting Checklist.
We’ve got other great kits for you.
If you’re taking a vacation, use our Travel Kit. If you’re making a transition, our New Life Starter Kit can assist you with our checklists for your job and apartment search. Our Health Kit helps you keep track of your medical history and appointments.
Start thinking about …
Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day
Monday, Sept. 22 - Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, Oct. 2 - Yom Kippur
Monday, Oct. 13 - Indigenous People’s Day
Monday, Oct. 20 - Diwali
Friday, Oct. 31 – Halloween
Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day, Singles Day
Thursday, Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving
Sunday, Dec. 14-Monday, Dec. 22 – Hanukkah
Thursday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
Friday, Dec. 26-Thursday, Jan. 1 – Kwanzaa
Wednesday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
IT’S 100 DAYS UNTIL HALLOWEEN
What the hell? It’s feels like the devil’s backyard outside and it’s time to think about Halloween? We hear you. But we always like to be prepared. And we’ve got a short list to make your Halloween run smoothly.
o Set aside money and make a budget for items such as costumes, treats and boo-ing your neighbors.
o Think about costumes. Is there a TV character or celebrity you want to dress up as? List some ideas and think of all the items you’ll need for the costume. If you buy a costume, they can sell fast, so get it now.
o Think about decorations. Some places, like IKEA and Anthropologie, already are selling items.
o If you’re planning a party, start preparing a guest list and food list.
o If you’re not into Halloween, keep note that you can always buy candy for yourself.
#solostories: “All Grown Up” by Jami Attenberg
#SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
“All Grown Up” by Jami Attenberg covers that awkward time in life – the middle ages.
In the 2017 novel, Andrea is a 40-year-old artist who wasn’t able to make a career out of her art and is stuck in a job she hates. She enjoys her freedom as a single woman and relishes living in New York City, but everything seems like a struggle.
The first chapter offers a perfect metaphor as a condo building is being constructed, obstructing her small view of the Empire State Building from her fifth-floor apartment. Her life is throwing obstacles at her – her baby niece is dying, she is growing apart with a friend – blocking her vision of the life and joy she wants.
“Is this part of being a grown-up? Taking what you can get?” she asks.
Told as a series of vignettes, the book is funny and frustrating. There are great lines in here, like visiting a friend’s newborn: “It’s not that I don’t go care about seeing her baby, it’s that I don’t care about seeing any baby.”
Or thinking about what could have been: “It make me happier than ever that I’ve never been married and never will be, because marriage sounds like a goddamn job, and why would I want another one of those?”
You wish Andrea had more agency (why doesn’t she look for another job?), while at the same time understanding her (who has the mental and emotional energy to look for another job?).
Sometimes, her frustrations are poignant. “I want someone to see me,” she says.
The book is 197 pages, but it can be a slow read at times because Andrea’s experiences are so hard and you wish she had more joy in her life. But you also feel her for her and you want the best for her.
In another book, the main character would have found a cliched happy ending – meeting the love of her life or inheriting a fortune or adopting a dog or opening a bakery. It’s to Attenberg’s credit that she keeps the story realistic, but she also makes sure Andrea has hope.
As Andrea says at her birthday party, “To my great surprise I am still alive on this planet. And that’s what we toast to -- to still being alive.”
happy birthday to us!
It’s our first anniversary today! July 4 is a fitting day for our birthday because SoloList celebrates the freedom of being a single woman. Thank you to all our readers who have supported us.
We have lots to look forward to in the coming year – including a Celebrations Kit to plan for holidays and a Safety Kit to prepare for emergencies.
The heart of our website are our checklists that guide you to complete your goals.
Our New Life Starter Kit will guide your job and apartment search.
Our Travel Kit helps you plan your trip.
Our Health Kit keeps track of your appointments and personal medical history.
Our FREE Yearly Adulting Checklist documents your must-do tasks in health and finances.
Let’s take a look at the posts from the past year.
Single life:
Great non-fiction books and podcasts about living on your own.
“I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself” by Glynnis MacNicol
“Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner” by Meghan Keane
Podcasts focusing on single life
“All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation” by Rebecca Traister
“Single” by Nicola Slawson
SoloStories:
This is our features in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
Alphabet mystery series by Sue Grafton
“The Paris Novel” by Ruth Reichel
“The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies” by Alison Goodman
“The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
“Flying Solo” by Linda Holmes
SoloSongs:
We highlight songs that show the joys and struggles of being independent.
Career:
Tips for office life.
Travel:
Plan the trip of your dreams.
Holidays:
Prepare for the most stressful times of the year.
Cooking:
Get some food in your belly.
“You Gotta Eat” by Margaret Eby
“One Pot One Portion” by Eleanor Wilkinson
Health and Safety:
Ways to take care of yourself.
Community:
Be a good citizen.
YOUR SCOOP FOR JULY
The sun is blazing and you’re trying to keep cool. We can help. We grant you permission to eat all the ice cream you want.
We can support in other ways too.
Here’s our monthly map to plan for the months ahead. But this year is also at its midway point. We have a new guide – The Yearly Adulting Checklist – that helps you keep track of those chores in life to maintain your health, finances and sanity.
Download the FREE Yearly Adulting Checklist.
If you’re taking a vacation this summer, use our Travel Kit. If you’re making a transition, our New Life Starter Kit can assist you with our checklists for your job and apartment search.
Dates to Remember
Friday, July 4 – Independence Day
Start thinking about …
Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day
Monday, Sept. 22 - Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, Oct. 2 - Yom Kippur
Monday, Oct. 13 - Indigenous People’s Day
Monday, Oct. 20 - Diwali
Friday, Oct. 31 – Halloween
Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day, Singles Day
Thursday, Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving
Grab your free yearly adulting checklist
The year is almost halfway over. We believe that taking care of our health, finances and car and being a good citizen are important priorities, and we have created a Yearly Adulting Checklist to see how much you’ve accomplished. And there’s a few fun items, too, in our one-page guide.
Download the FREE Yearly Adulting Checklist.
Note that all items won’t apply to you. If you live in a walkable city and use mass transit, cross out the car section. (We’re jealous!) Only one of these tasks - paying taxes - has legal ramifications if you don’t do it.
But wait, what about paying bills or cleaning the house? Starting in August, we’ll be posting monthly checklists on our Instagram (follow us @SoloListHQ) for such tasks. Got any ideas? Email us at info@solo-list.com.
BOOK REVIEW: “ONE POT ONE PORTION” BY ELEANOR WILKINSON
Our smash burger flatbread
“One Pot One Portion: 100 Simple Recipes Just for You” by Eleanor Wilkinson is made for single people who want sophisticated recipes … but none of the extra food that comes from cookbooks made for two or more people.
The book is divided into five sections – comfort, fresh, simple, special and sweet – that are meant to be cooked in one pot or pan. Recipes include chicken parmy, chilaquiles with egg and feta, and roast pork belly with apple and shallot gravy. The book is gorgeous with photos and easy-to-read instructions and Wilkinson’s personal stories.
Since the editors at SoloList have limited cooking skills, we first tried the smash burger flatbread, which was easy to make and clean up (see top picture). We decided to go out of our comfort zone and try her version of lasagna, one of our favorite meals. The recipe, like many of the others, requires many ingredients than we’re used to.
We made a few changes from the recipes, such as buying minced garlic instead of having to cut up garlic. In our first attempt, we put the dish in the broiler as instructed, but it didn’t work out for our oven.
Womp womp
Our second attempt was much better, but our fault (like before) was buying oven ready lasagna pasta instead of fresh lasagna sheets as the recipe states. Our pasta came out harder than it should be, but the rest of the dish was delicious.
Our second attempt turned out better.
Still, this got us to experiment out of our regular cooking habits, which consists of simple recipes in which we dump ingredients in a bowl and put it in the oven.
Wilkinson has a terrific Substack newsletter that offers weekly meal plans for solo cooks and a YouTube channel with lessons. It’s refreshing to see there’s an outlet for solo people.
#SoloSongs: “I Will Survive” and “Flowers”
#SoloSongs is our feature in which we highlight songs that show the joys and struggles of being independent.
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus are the types of songs that demand you get off your butt and dance. But both songs come with powerful messages.
Breakups are never easy, but the two songs – one from the 1970s, the other just a few years old – come with the realization that the narrators lead new lives and all kinds of possibilities are open to them.
“I Will Survive” came out in 1978 with a propulsive beat and strong lyrics to match. When her former lover comes back into her life, the narrator realizes that she was doing just fine. Her time alone made her a different person: “And you see me, somebody new/I'm not that lonely little person/Still in love with you.”
Almost 50 years later, Miley Cyrus came out with “Flowers.” The narrator feels sad over the end of her relationship until she realizes she can buy her own flowers and do whatever else she wants. “Yeah, I can love me better than you can,” Cyrus sings.
While many breakup songs mourn the loss of a relationship, the narrator “Flowers” sees her strengths. Being free means you don’t have to depend on the other’s person’s moods and tastes. You can take time for yourself.
Like “I Will Survive,” it’s an instant classic. It even won the 2024 record of the year from the Grammys. If you’re lying in bed feeling bad for yourself, you will want to get up. And you realize, as Miley sings, “I can take myself dancing.”
What’s on tap for June?
June is here. The days are long and hot, hot, hot. Pride Month celebrations dot the calendar, as well as commencement ceremonies and vacation days. If you’re graduating from college – congratulations! Our New Life Starter Kit will help your job and apartment search. If you’re going on a trip, grab out Travel Kit. Here’s what’s on tap for the next few months:
Dates to Remember
Saturday, June 7 – Eid Al-Adha
Sunday, June 15 – Father’s Day
Monday, June 16 - Taxes due for self-employed
Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
Start thinking about …
Friday, July 4 – Independence Day
Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day
Monday, Sept. 22 - Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, Oct. 2 - Yom Kippur
Monday, Oct. 13 - Indigenous People’s Day
Monday, Oct. 20 - Diwali
Friday, Oct. 31 - Halloween
#SoloStories: “Flying Solo” by Linda Holmes
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component (although this is a slight exception).
“Flying Solo” by Linda Holmes is the story of two single women who love their independence – while trying to maintain their love for others.
Laurie Sassalyn, a freelance writer, is visiting her hometown of Maine to clean up the house of her Aunt Dot, who recently passed away. Dot never married, but she traveled, made plenty of friends and kept her house filled with prized possessions.
Laurie becomes beguiled with a mysterious object of Dot’s, a wooden duck tucked away in a chest. Laurie is trying to figure out the duck’s origins when she reunites with her old boyfriend, Nick.
Laurie is protective of Dot because Dot was protective of Laurie, giving her a safe space during her childhood while she was growing up in a house full of boys. “Inside was peace. No negotiating like there always was in a house of seven people; no bargaining.”
It’s why Laurie, who recently broke off an engagement, is reluctant to get into another relationship – and why she chose a quiet house in her current residence of Seattle.
“This place would not be noisy, except when she wanted it to be. And just in case, she would have every machine and oscillating fan and earplug it took to make it quiet when she was sleeping. Just quiet, that was all.”
Laurie can be an occasionally frustrating character, making odd choices. But like Dot, she knows she wants her freedom. Marriage isn’t the be-all and end-all for everyone, but that doesn’t mean they are lonely.
“I wanted to be a champion for her, I guess,” Laurie said to a friend about her aunt. “I wanted to stick up for her life, for the way she was and the way she lived. I wanted to give her the same respect she would have gotten if she’d made different choices.”
#SoloStories: “Elsbeth” and “The Residence”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
In her great book, “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself,” writer Glynnis MacNichol points out that many mystery shows led by women are single.
It’s the case from “Murder She Wrote” with the widowed Jessica Fletcher and “Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries” with Phryne Fisher. Our favorite book series, the alphabet mystery series from Sue Grafton, features the resolutely single Kinsey Milhone.
So it’s no surprise that the characters in two new shows, “Elsbeth” and “The Residence” are happily single.
Not only are both women unmarried, but they both thrive on their quirkiness. In “The Residence,” Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) is the world’s greatest detective investigating a murder in the White House. She is focused on the job, only pausing to find birds in the area.
In “Elsbeth,” the main character is an attorney on a consent decree who follows police detectives to make sure they’re following correct procedure – only to end up solving the case. Elsbeth, a character spun off from “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight,” wears bold, colorful outfits and carries at least three tote bags at once.
They’re mostly seen on the job, with only occasional glimpses at their personal life. But it’s notable they see things differently from others. Those powers of observation are something single people build when they are alone.
They don’t mind being single, either. When Cupp is asked about her status, she adamantly says she doesn’t want to be married.
Elsbeth is divorced with a grown son and has a flirtation with a guy in Scotland. In one sequence, the other characters are seen with their significant others while she’s seen eagerly poring over the many treasures in her tote bags. Her beau pings her, but she was already happy and she’s always going to be content with who she is.
Cordelia and Elsbeth may seem like odd ducks, but they care for others and want justice. Being single helps them become who they are.
GREAT BOOKS FOR GRADUATES
Graduation season is here. If you know someone who’s about to graduate or you are about to graduate (congratulations!), here are some books to help navigate the world of adulthood. And grab our New Life Starter Kit, which features checklists for finding a new job and apartment.
Careers:
“Ladies Get Paid Ladies Get Paid: The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career,” by Claire Wasserman, features advice on getting jobs and promotions, negotiating your salary, and getting over perfectionism and imposter syndrome.
“Power Moves: How Women Can Pivot, Reboot, and Build a Career of Purpose,” by Lauren McGoodwin, helps you reexamine your outlook on your career, such as not chasing a “dream job,” and prioritizing self-care by silencing your inner critic.
“Embrace the Work, Love Your Career: A Guided Workbook for Realizing Your Career Goals with Clarity, Intention, and Confidence,” by Fran Hauser, is a workbook that encourages you to create a career action plan, assemble a dream team of supporters and teaches you how to say “no” to others.
How-to guides:
"Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money and Build Real Wealth," by Bola Sukunbi, is a primer on financial topics.
"Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership: Uncomplicating Cars for All of Us," by Chaya M. Milchtein, provides the keys to learning about autos.
“You Gotta Eat: Real-Life Strategies for Feeding Yourself When Cooking Feels Impossible” by Margaret Eby, gives ideas for meals when you’re tired after a long day or you don’t want to spend too much money at restaurants. Read our review here.
Single Life:
“Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner," by Meghan Keane, tackles the joys and challenges of being single. Read our review here.
“Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms,” by Nicola Slawson, features interviews with single women about a variety of topics. Read our review here.
Your guide to may
It’s May! After a few months without any work holidays, Memorial Day (and days at the beach and the longer days of summer) is within sight. If you’re going to take a trip, use our Travel Kit for your next adventure. Need a present for Mother’s Day? Here’s our gift guide. It’s graduation season, too, so our New Life Starter Kit is great for those who are off to join the world.
Monday, May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
Sunday, May 11 – Mother’s Day
Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
Start thinking about …
Saturday, June 7 – Eid Al-Adha
Sunday, June 15 – Father’s Day
Monday, June 16 - Taxes due for self-employed
Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
Friday, July 4 – Independence Day
Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day
Monday, Sept. 22 - Rosh Hashanah