[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Foodily, Cramster and DropBox) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Does this situation sound familiar to you? Your BFF asks you if want to go out to dinner with her, and you’re about to tell her yes, when you decide to check your bank statement quickly online before you answer — and discover you don’t have anywhere close to enough for a night out. You tell her thanks, but you have to skip it this time… then immediately start scanning job listings on Craigslist and rifling though your closet for things you can sell on Ebay to get some extra cash.

Even if you think you’re pretty careful with your spending, it’s easy to spend a lot more on infrequent and/or small purchases like that daily coffee, shopping the day you get your paycheck, or nights at the bar (even $1 pints can add up). If you don’t count every purchase and check your bank account on a regular basis, you’ll just end up in situations like the one described above over and over.

Mint makes keeping track of your finances easy, so you don’t find yourself selling back books you still need just so you can buy dinner. Mint pulls together all your financial information, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and loans, and organizes it for you all in one place. You can easily check your balance and so much more in just a few clicks.

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[It's a new year (which I am having trouble remembering when I have to write the date on anything), meaning it's the perfect time to wipe that slate clean and start anew. And we're gonna help you out. Every Thursday in January we're bringing you advice from experts on ways to improve yourself and your life. From mental health to making the most of your workspace, we'll all work together to get our lives, health and GPAs back on track. First we feng shui-ed our rooms to make them happier, more productive places. Then we centered ourselves so we could handle whatever comes our way. Now let's get our finances in order with Fool.com's Dayana Yochim.]

Let’s face it, “the talk” is awkward for everyone: You, picturing your parents at your age; your parents trying to cover all the bases (protection, safety, responsibility and the long-term consequences of your young-adult actions) before letting you leave the nest.

You know we’re talking about the “money talk,” right?

What’s the big deal? Well, unlike the mechanics of procreating (which, if you’re reading this, we can assume your mother and father mastered at least once), there’s a good chance that your parents made a mess of their own finances back in the day. They might even feel like they’re still unqualified to offer sage advice. After all, this stuff isn’t taught in most schools, which leaves most folks learning money lessons the old-fashioned – and very expensive – way: At the school of hard knocks.

I’m here to do your folks a solid and give you six money management tips that will help you avoid graduating with a major financial hangover. Read More »

Heather and Bailey star in WE TV newest series, Downsized, about a Brady Bunch-esque blended family of nine trying to get by after their father’s business went under. Having gone from a family income of $1.5 million a year to something way, way less than that, these girls have had to majorly curb their spending and are learning that there is, in fact, life after Saks.

So what have these ladies learned from the unfortunate demise of their no-budget lifestyle? Here are their top 10 tips for saving money, without skimping on style:

1. Shop at stores like the Goodwill, Plato’s Closet or Buffalo Exchange. Get the whole stigma of wearing someone else’s hand-me-downs out of your brain. These stores sell gently used name brand clothing at very affordable prices. If you’re patient and open-minded, you can find really great and unique things for your ever expanding wardrobe.

2. Only buy sale items!! You’d be shocked to see how fast most items make their way to the sale rack. At the end of the day you will be happy you waited it out a bit when you get that sweater at 50% off.

3. Map out your shopping trip in advance! Every girl loves a day of shopping just for fun, but this often leads to unnecessary and impulse purchases. Knowing what you need (which is different than want or even “oh my god, I want that SO BADLY!”) before you hit the mall is a great way to curb a wandering eye!

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When budgeting, I have two primary concerns that I think many college students share:

1) Pay rent to keep a roof of some sort over my recently highlighted head.

2) Social spending, as in, how many nights a week do the remaining funds allow for.

Please note that these are not necessarily considered in that order, which can cause trouble.

Depending on whether your college town is ridiculously expensive (see: going to college in a major city) or suuuper cheap (see: anyplace where drinks are less than $4.00 each or has promotions like “dollar long island night”), your bank account is going to take a very different sort of beating by means of your social budget.

But food is an essential, and when takeout can cost more than your bar tab, grocery shopping to save some green is a great habit to have. Read More »