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Congrats Grad!

Conventional wisdom says the best way to learn about life after school is to just experience it, but the good news is it’s an open-book test. Here are a few of our favorite blogs with some practical financial tips for the recent — or not-so-recent — graduate confronting challenges in the “real world.”

From Ramen to Riches: How to Save After College

“This strategy leaves me with enough to buy what I need while still affording the occasional concert, sports game, or mini-vacation. I also get the best bang for my buck possible for things I need to buy, like a haircut or gym membership.”

What Does Graduating in a Recession Mean for Your Finances?

“One of the best things you can do for your career is to start networking now. Talk to people in your field, attend industry events, and get your name out there. The more people you know, the better your chances of hearing about job openings, getting referrals during your job search, and finding potential career mentors.”

Pay Off Debt With These 4 Proven Strategies

“Unlike the debt avalanche approach, a debt snowball repayment plan prioritizes your debts with the smallest amounts first. As you would with the debt avalanche strategy, you’ll start by organizing your debts, but this time you’ll be listing them in order from the smallest amount to the highest, regardless of interest rate.”

5 Tips to Stay on Top of Your Bill Payments

“Some creditors may allow you to pick the due date you want going forward. Selecting the same due date for multiple bills can help simplify your recurring payments schedule by making it easier to keep tabs on. Selecting multiple dates can help you spread payments out each month to ensure you have the funds available to cover each bill.”

Finally, while we know retirement is probably the last thing on your mind, starting to save for it now could really pay off when that time comes.