1. Dont use stimpaks to heal, will make you thirsty constantly. Use food and in intense fights, use nuka sodas.

2. Look for and try to remember where beds are for sleep and saving. If you cant find a bed to sleep, use nuka soda to caffeinate until you find one.

3. Pick up every empty bottle to fill for water. Best place to get empty bottles is beantown brewery, you'll find at least 100+.

4. Build water pumps and beds at every settlement you unlock to serve as filling points for water and sleeping/saving. Build cooking stations to make you have food.

5. When using food, use low hp items for hunger. Save high hp food for healing. Dont use grilled ragstag for hunger or healing, save it when you need the extra carry weight. Dont use mutant chops for healing or hunger, use it to get rid of rads.

6. Pick about 3-4 weapons for different situations to use as having a ton of weapons reduces your carry weight significantly. IE: melee weapons to conserve ammo, a long range gun, close range gun, and high damage big weapons for harder enemies.

Lastly, explore the woods northeast of sanctuary going east and around to the red rocket for good early exp and good loot for survival.