I derive some influence from Suze Orman, as I believe she is truly a master at stating the obvious in a blunt but reinforcing way that makes the "light bulb" go off in her readers' minds. She makes a fabulous living on providing advice to so many individuals struggling to get ahead for one simple reason: so many of us at a young age are not taught the keys to financial success, and we often don't look for those guides until we find ourselves failing miserably.

Chances are if you came across this post, you are looking for a way for you - as a young recent twenty-something - to acquire the tools that so many of us wish we had had when we were just starting out on our own. Even if you are a slightly more seasoned pro (or on the opposite side of the spectrum), there is still plenty for you to learn.

1. Create a Budget. I cannot stress enough the benefits of creating a solid budget at a young age. Had I done this when I was 21 and fresh out of college, my life would have been made a lot more simpler!

Why, you may ask, create a budget? "I know how much money I have to spend... I don't have a lot of bills. What good will a budget do for me?"

There are two parts to this answer. First, having a budget creates a good habit for when your financial situation grows more complex with experience and age. Second, it forces you to keep track of how much you spend on what. Do you know how much you approximately spend in food each month? How about entertainment? Those beers at the local happy hour bar can surely add up over time - if you aren't careful.

There are several tools available to you on the internet to create your first budget, but I find this particular calculator to be useful from CNN Money: http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/budget101/budget_101.jsp

Although many of the items you may not have anything to do with yet (who worries about life insurance at the age of 21? à although you should! I will tell you why in another hub), it forces you to really think about how much you spend on certain items. If you live in a densely populated city, chances are you pay a lot on parking. Is there a way you could save each month by walking a little more or taking public transit? Force yourself to consider such questions and hold yourself accountable. When mom and dad aren't paying your bills anymore, there is no one to answer to but yourself.

If you are a frequent user of a debit card (I personally rarely ever carry cash), it is easy to see how much you spend each month on certain categories. Add up all the girls/guys nights, road trips, and movie nights and throw them into the "Entertainment category." Mark all of the dinners out, work lunches, and trips to the supermarket and throw them into "Food."

Even if your financial situation is as basic as it can get, it is good to formulate a good system now.

2. Learn the difference between "needing" and "wanting." Learn to discipline yourself in situations where you will be especially prone to spending. One area a lot of my friends found trouble in was evenings out. After a few cocktails and some good dances, the "buzz" takes over and their spending increases as they care less and less about the repercussions. One way to combat this is to always go out with only cash and leave your debit card at home. You will know that you have to expense enough cash for the trip to and from the location, leaving you with a set sum of what you can spend that evening. That way, when the "buzz" gives you that extra edge, you have no choice but to ward it off. It would amaze you how much unnecessary cash is spent on nights out. I don't know how many times I looked at my bank account the next day and went, "I spent HOWmuch?"

Another particularly sensitive (and obvious) area is the mall. My best advice here is to go in with a budget. Tell yourself, "I am only going to spend a total of $50 today." Hold yourself accountable. If you exceed your limit, cutback elsewhere that week - but make sure you do so. That beautiful pair of jeans that fit you so perfectly for $150 just does not fit your budget - don't budget it in. If you don't need it, don't get it. Work hard now to restrain yourself, so later down the road you can play that much harder (figured I'd throw in a cliché somewhere).

You can cut back in smaller areas as well. That $1.50 coffee from Dunkin Donuts each morning before work adds up!

3. Manage your credit responsibly. One trap you need to be very wary of is the ever-infamous Credit Card. Although credit cards can help aid you in building up your immature credit, they only do so if you are extremely cautious AND responsible. Start off with a card that forces you to pay off the balance at the end of the month. This way you will only spend on that card what you know you can afford by month's end. This resorts back to the budget; if you budget how much you have to spend, you know how much can go on the card. Do NOT exceed this!

4. Know your loans. If you are coming out of college with a lot of debt, as so many of us do, learn to manage it wisely and take pro-active steps. If you did not get your hands dirty in the matter while in college, sit down with your parents and ask them to go over every single aspect of your loans: What are their interest rates? What are their payment plans? What are the penalties for missing a payment (it will largely affect your credit!)? You have six months after college to figure this all out as your loans will be deferred until then. Make sure you know all the facts before you begin paying. If you understand your loans, you'll have more of a kick and drive to pay them off in a timely and efficient manner. (And don't forget to budget them!)

6. Break the mold. This is the hardest thing to do. When all of your friends are purchasing their BMWs and flat screen TVs, discipline yourself. Do you really need all of that right now? Sure, it satiates the whole "image thing", but will it keep you financially responsible for your future? If you can afford the nice luxuries right now by squeaking by just barely - avoid it. Live on what you can live with comfortably, and avoid doing what "everybody is doing." We live in a world where we want want want. Want for less, and you will have more for your future tomorrow.

7. Reward yourself. If you set goals for yourself, and by maintaining a financially healthy lifestyle, you attain what you have set out to achieve - at the end of the year reward yourself. Take that nice roadtrip to the city you always wanted to visit. I am not saying to live without any fun. I am saying to find fun in the smaller things in life, until you are secure enough on your own to do the "bigger things."

Individuals that are secure in themselves manage money better. Be confident in yourself as a young adult to make good decisions, and think them through wisely. Know that money doesn't define who you are, but it does dictate how secure you will live in your future.

For further reading, check out the great additional (and highly recommended) materials below.