We all know that one person who just can’t seem to get their life together. While everyone makes mistakes and has occasional slip-ups, some adults seem to have turned irresponsibility into a lifestyle. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or someone you’re dating, here are some tell-tale signs that you’re dealing with someone who hasn’t quite mastered the whole “adulting” thing.
1. Their Diet Is Whatever’s Easiest
Their refrigerator contains nothing but condiments and expired takeout containers, while their kitchen shows no signs of actual cooking. They consider coffee a meal replacement and view vegetables as something that accidentally comes with their burger. Their idea of meal prep is knowing which fast-food places are open late, and they’ve memorized every delivery app’s minimum order requirement. They frequently complain about having no money while spending a small fortune on takeout and delivery fees.
2. Their Car Is a Rolling Disaster Zone
The check engine light has been on so long it might as well be a custom feature, and basic maintenance is treated as an optional luxury. Empty fast-food bags create an archaeological record of their dining habits, while the gas tank perpetually hovers near empty. They ignore strange noises from the engine until something literally breaks, then act surprised when facing a massive repair bill. The registration might be months expired, but they’ll still blame bad luck when they get ticketed.
3. They’re Perpetually “Borrowing” Money
This person always seems to be just a few days away from payday, yet somehow never has enough to cover their basic expenses. They’ve mastered the art of the casual money request, often prefacing it with “I’ll pay you back next week”—but next week never seems to come. Their financial emergencies are constant, yet they always have money for impulse purchases and entertainment. What’s worse, they often make you feel guilty for hesitating to lend them money, as if you’re somehow responsible for their poor planning.
4. Their Living Space Looks Like a Crime Scene
Walking into their home feels like entering a museum of poor life choices, where dirty dishes achieve renaissance-level artistic stacking. They have “cleaning days” scheduled that mysteriously never arrive, and their idea of organizing is shoving everything into closets. Their laundry situation has evolved into distinct geographical features, with Mount Dirty Clothes competing for space with the Lesser Ranges of Clean-But-Unfolded. The only time any real cleaning happens is when someone important is coming over or they’re about to lose their security deposit.
5. They Have Zero Concept of Time Management
Every meeting starts with their breathless explanation of why they’re late, usually involving an elaborate story that sounds suspiciously like fiction. They treat deadlines as gentle suggestions and seem genuinely surprised when others get upset about their chronic tardiness. Their calendar, if they have one, is more of an abstract art piece than a planning tool, and they frequently double-book themselves or completely forget appointments. They’ll often claim to be “just five minutes away” when they haven’t even left their house yet
6. Their Phone Is Always “About to Die”
Their phone perpetually lives at 5% battery life, yet they never seem to have a charger when needed. Important calls and messages go unanswered for days because their phone was “dead” or they “didn’t see” the notification. They’ve mastered the art of the quick “my phone’s dying” escape from conversations they don’t want to have. Their device is usually cracked or damaged because investing in a case seems too burdensome.
7. Their Job History Reads Like a Bad Novel
They bounce from job to job, always with a story about how their boss was unreasonable or their coworkers were impossible to work with. Every workplace somehow manages to be toxic, and they’re perpetually just about to start something better. They frequently quit jobs before having another one lined up, convinced that something will work out. Their LinkedIn profile looks like a game of employment musical chairs, with most positions lasting fewer months than seasonal allergies.
8. They’re Masters of the Excuse Economy
These folks have elevated excuse-making, with a side of blame-shifting and responsibility-dodging. Their explanations for failing to meet obligations range from the mundane to the bizarrely elaborate, often involving an unlikely series of coincidences. They have an uncanny ability to make everything someone else’s fault and their personal narrative never includes the phrase “I messed up.” Their stories often feature recurring characters like unreliable alarm clocks, traffic disasters, and mysteriously malfunctioning phones.
9. Their Relationships Are a Constant Drama
Their romantic life resembles a reality TV show, complete with regular dramatic breakups and reconciliations. They jump from relationship to relationship without taking time to reflect or grow, often dragging their friends into their emotional chaos. Every ex is “crazy,” though they maintain contact with most of them through social media. They frequently need emergency relationship advice at 3 AM, yet never actually follow any of the guidance they receive.
10. Bills Are Their Arch-Nemesis
Important mail piles up unopened while they pretend bills don’t exist until services start getting cut off. They view due dates as starting points for negotiations rather than deadlines, and their credit score is something they joke about rather than address. They’re on a first-name basis with utility company customer service representatives due to frequent payment arrangements. Their solution to mounting bills is often to simply stop opening mail altogether as if financial obligations are like T-rexes that can’t see you if you don’t move.
11. They’re Perpetually Underprepared
Basic adulting supplies like toilet paper, soap, and clean towels are treated as optional luxuries in their home. They never have an umbrella when it rains, appropriate clothes for the weather, or basic tools for simple repairs. Emergency situations send them into a panic because they have no supplies or plans in place. They’re the person asking to borrow everyday items that most adults keep on hand, like phone chargers, Band-Aids, or pain relievers.
12. Their Pet Ownership Is Questionable
If they have pets, the animals’ care is often an afterthought rather than a priority. They “forget” to buy pet food until the last minute, skip regular vet visits, and treat pet expenses as unexpected emergencies rather than predictable responsibilities. Their pets’ training is minimal or non-existent, and they often blame the animal for behavioral issues that stem from lack of care or attention. They might impulse-adopt pets without considering the long-term commitment and costs.
13. Their Future Planning Is Nonexistent
Retirement planning sounds like science fiction to them, and their idea of an emergency fund is a handful of change in their car’s cupholder. They live purely in the present, with no thought for future consequences or planning. Any discussion of long-term goals or financial planning is met with nervous laughter or quick subject changes. They treat their future self as a stranger who will somehow magically handle all their current problems.
14. Their Shopping Habits Are Pure Chaos
They make purchases based entirely on wants rather than needs, often buying items they can’t afford while lacking necessities. Their Amazon account is a graveyard of impulse purchases, and they’re constantly showing off new gadgets while complaining about being broke. They fall for every “buy now, pay later” scheme and consider store credit cards free money. Their solution to stress is retail therapy, regardless of their bank account balance.
15. They’re Always in Crisis Mode
Every week brings a new emergency that requires immediate attention and usually financial assistance. They treat regular life events like surprise attacks and seem genuinely shocked by entirely predictable situations. Their life is a constant string of urgent situations that could have been prevented with basic planning. They exhaust their friends and family with constant demands for help with self-created problems.
16. Their Healthcare Is Reactive at Best
Preventive care is a foreign concept, and they only see doctors when something is seriously wrong. They ignore small health issues until they become major problems, then complain about the cost of treatment. Their dental care consists of hoping nothing goes wrong, and they view health insurance as an unnecessary expense. They’ll spend weeks suffering from treatable conditions rather than scheduling an appointment.
17. Their Documentation Is a Disaster
Important documents are scattered across multiple locations, usually stuffed into random drawers or boxes. They can never find their birth certificate, social security card, or other crucial paperwork when needed. Their tax documents are a mystery even to them, and they frequently miss deadlines because they can’t locate necessary paperwork. They treat document organization like an advanced physics problem—theoretically possible but beyond their capabilities.
