One of the most important traits a man can foster is dependability; not only dependability for others, but also for yourself. Each and every day, you are to anticipate all potential obstacles that might befall you. At home, reacting to most situations is straightforward as everything you own is readily available, but when away from your domain, your preparedness (or lack thereof) will show. When you leave your house, you need to expect and mitigate the unpredictability of life so that your family can live carefree. Before you cross the threshold, be sure to take these four essential items with you.

1. Wallet
   A man is, first and foremost, a provider. Internalize this belief if you haven’t already and organize your life around it. Without your wallet you’re not a provider; you can only consume what others may provide for you. For example, if you grab lunch with another man without your wallet, he is made the provider by default and you are made the consumer. There are few things that will diminish your stature among men more than failing to pay for yourself and whoever is under your protection at a restaurant. Withholding a generous tip will also disgust any men worth associating with. A Christian man is generous in his provision, and occasionally footing the whole bill is a kind gesture that will earn you considerable respect.
   
   I always carry some small bills of cash (five to ten $1 bills and at least two $5 bills) that have come in handy for many uncommon tips I have given and purchases I have made that call for hard cash: hotel cleaning service, bellhops, hotel airport shuttle service, unusually attentive restaurant food runner (for all that extra bread and butter), hibachi grill cook, complimentary towel dry at a car wash, child’s lemonade stand, Girl Scout cookie sale, etc. There are many unusual situations where any properly aware man will reproach himself for not having cash. Keep an additional $20 bill on hand in case of an emergency when you need to purchase food, buy and fill a gas can, bribe someone to help you, or reward someone for their volunteered time. A debit card is also useful to withdraw larger amounts of cash from an ATM if needed.
   
   Of course, you should have ID in your wallet, but also carry some additional information: health insurance details (if you have insurance) and a card with phone numbers of a few emergency contacts. In the event you are in an accident and are incoherent, first responders will be able to contact the appropriate individuals and take you to your insurer’s preferred hospital, which will potentially save you thousands in insurance bills.
2. Phone
   When you leave home, your phone is a valuable asset. It can provide you with directions (though it would be wise to keep a physical map of your state in the glovebox), information, and a communication channel with your loved ones. Especially when traveling without family, having a phone accessible will allow them to get in touch if they need you. It is also essential to have a means of contacting authorities or first responders in the event of an emergency. Finally, it sure doesn’t hurt to have YouTube in your pocket when changing your Jeep’s faulty thermostat 100 miles from home.
3. Jumper Cables
   A man’s primary duty is to his family, but he should also consider how he can help his community. Carry a pair of jumper cables in your car and you will become someone’s hero in no time. There will be plenty of times when you need to rescue someone you know who is stranded with a dead battery. Cables will also save you a headache when you forget to turn off your headlights. They provide an easy way to help others and yourself. Make sure you don’t skimp on these; a pair of heavy-duty cables will last you forever. Harbor Freight has a decent set for cheap. They do offer a 2-gauge set that would be great if you have the money to spend, but these will get the job done.

4. Basic Tool Set for Roadside Maintenance
   I would somewhat facetiously say your path to manhood isn’t complete until you’ve fixed your car on the side of the road before continuing your journey as if nothing happened. The only way to do that is to have your tools with you. Most roadside repairs on a well-maintained vehicle are going to be changing an alternator, battery, or tire. Since almost all cars have the tools to change a tire, I’m not going to include that as a recommended item. If you just want to be able to fix those three common problems, simply look up DIY videos for your specific year, make, and model, and buy the tools you would need. However, if you want to be a little more dangerous, it doesn’t take much to comprise a basic toolset that could dismantle 90 percent of your vehicle. You’re probably looking at under $100 for a suitable kit with a little more variety, but for the bare essentials, you’ll only be out $50. In order of importance:

5. Bonus: Watch
   The advent of the personal cell phone has made the wristwatch largely irrelevant and therefore it cannot make the list, however I still think it’s worthy of an honorable mention. There is the practical advantage of having a quick method of checking the time without having to pull out your phone. Besides this, your image will benefit from wearing a watch: strangers are more likely to associate you with punctuality, the appropriate watch can add maturity to your persona, and it can make you seem more affluent if worn with half-decent clothes (this is important for romantic and professional relationships alike—both being a similar dance).
6. Bonus: Handgun
   I will sometimes bring my pistol with me and leave it in the car in its holster, but I cannot say it is essential because of the high-cost to entry (both time spent training and money to acquire). I personally haven’t trained with my gun enough to concealed carry, but that is a future goal of mine (it would also be prudent to proficiently understand the self-defense laws of my area, which I don’t). Depending on the laws of the area you live in, this may not be an option for you, so the alternative would be carrying something else you could use as a weapon for self-defense. A gun obviously is a very powerful tool for protecting yourself and others, and would be an excellent addition to this list for those that have the money and competence to implement.

In highlighting a man’s essential daily carries, two distinct categories emerge: items on his person, and items in his car. Considering the jumper cables could easily be lumped in with the tool kit, the list becomes a mere three things: wallet, phone, and tools. This may seem self-evident or underwhelming, but more than just possessing them is how you use them. Most men have wallets, but not all will show you them when the bill comes. Virtually every man has a phone, but most are enthralled by soft-core porn Instagram feeds. Of the few men I’ve met with jumper cables, I’d say half know how to confidently use them. The majority with toolsets couldn’t competently perform a single repair on their vehicles with them. If you’re not using your wallet and you’re misusing your phone, it’s time for a change. And if your boomer father failed to teach you how to use that tool kit he gave you the first-day of college, check out YouTube DIY videos where you can find surrogate boomer fathers of all specialties (they really do know a lot—credit where credit is due). Keeping these items with you and learning how to properly use them will increase your social capital by orders of magnitude. Men nowadays have a significant shortage of useful skills and, consequently, cannot fulfill half this basic list. Fortunately, they are easy skills to learn and are therefore low hanging fruit for the average man seeking to improve himself. Acquire these essentials, learn to use them, and step out your door with an arsenal fit for the company of probably the top 10% of modern men.

If you liked this article and want to keep up to date with future posts, you can sign up for my newsletter below. I promise I won’t blow up your inbox.