In the novel Bud, Not Buddy, what did Bud write that helped him through life?

Bud doesn't necessarily write his rules down, but rather remembers them in what he calls "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself." These are a collection of life lessons that Bud uses to help him survive in a harsh world on his own. Bud is an orphan whose mother passed away when he was only six years old, forcing Bud to teach himself many important life lessons. Each of Bud's "rules" is based on a previous experience which he learns from in hopes of not repeating past mistakes. However, many of Bud's "rules" are generalizations that reflect his naive nature and only apply to very specific situations. His "rules" include sayings like "If a Grown-up Ever Starts a Sentence by Saying 'Haven't You Heard,' Get Ready, 'Cause What's About to Come Out of Their Mouth Is Gonna Drop You Head First into a Boiling Tragedy" (Curtis 32). Bud attempts to number his "rules" in order to keep track of them, and they go as high as 547! Bud's "rules" to live by are continually proven wrong as he matures and develops throughout the novel.