← Real-World Finances 101: Smart Money Tips for Recent Grads

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By Janell Hazelwood | Published July 27, 2012 | Full size is 620 × 480 pixels

You’ve walked across the stage, and graduation is over. Now you’re inching your way into the world of adulthood equipped with working a 9-to-5 and paying bills. For the majority of post-college grads, handling their own finances is a new--- and scary---experience. According to FinAid, graduating seniors leave college with an average of $23,000 in loan debt. Add to that rent, utilities, gas, and groceries, and it’s easy to dig yourself into a deep hole with the average entry-level salary. While surviving on a starting salary is difficult, it’s not impossible. Here are four tips from Darric N. Boyd, a Merrill Lynch certified financial expert, on getting (and keeping) a grip on your newfound finances. --- Jamie Harrison

You’ve walked across the stage, and graduation is over. Now you’re inching your way into…