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Also, just knowing where the hell it is in the first place. Had a self-induced massive plumbing incident at our old house many years ago. It was in the overgrown alley behind my backyard. By the time I found it, it was too late.
Nothing like a crisis to teach you about what you should have done. Water busted at the valve in the kitchen underneath the sink. Ran outside to shut off water (for the first time ever) with my wrench to find that the main was covered in dirt with only the dial visible. Luckily it was the hot water so I was able to shut it off at the heater. But that was after a few hundred gallons in my kitchen.
Our new house sprung a leak in the sprinkler system but all of the valves were useless, had to shut off the main completely. At least this time I was prepared.
Buy a key, learn where the valves are and how it works, practice shutting it off and back on again. Do it once and you can handle any leak and save yourself some major repairs.