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Many people know that a college education gives you the best odds of working your way up the career ladder. Yet, on average, students need an average of 52 months (or more) to earn a bachelor’s degree and end up in debt between college and the post-graduation job search because they haven’t taken the necessary steps to cultivate habits that will set them up for success. Whether you’re just starting your college journey or about to enter the workforce, here’s how you can set yourself up for career success without breaking the bank.

In the early 1990s, Dave Ramsey was the one to watch or listen to for advice on budgeting and debt relief. His solution sounded simple: Construct a budget, breaking down how much money is required for rent, utilities, credit card bills, groceries, entertainment, etc. When cash comes in, it is placed in labeled envelopes based on the previous budgeting. That way, different “account” amounts can easily be monitored, and spending can be adjusted to not exceed the funds allotted in the budget. Of course, Ramsey has done a lot more than that and is still a public figure. But how many people born between 1997 and 2012 (“Gen Z”) have even heard of him?

Matt Berke, Project Self-Sufficiency will facilitate a virtual Financial Literacy workshop series.Rob Yaskovic. Those who need help understanding credit scores, setting up checking accounts, and establishing budgets and setting financial goals are invited to participated in virtual Financial Literacy workshops offered by Project Self-Sufficiency, Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., offered May 12th, May 19th, and June 2nd. Workshops will address credit scores, credit reports, checking and savings account, credit cards, loans, lines of credit, financial goals, and overcoming debt. The Financial Literacy workshops are free and open to the public. Interested participants are invited to call Project Self-Sufficiency, 973-940-3500, to obtain log-in details. Workshops are a program of the Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency. To find out more information about the programs and services available at the agency, visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org or call 973-940-3500.

Ohio shoppers will soon have more options for buying groceries at a discount. Read on to find out where and when the new locations are opening. Blueshot/Getty Images (Canva Pro license)

Gas prices continue to shift day to day in the state of New Jersey. One year ago the average price for a gallon of gas in The Garden State was $2.80. Today April 5, 2022, the average price is $4.37. Even before the international crisis in Ukraine, Americans were facing higher costs in gasoline in a large part to a quick return to the highways after Covid 19 restrictions were lifted.

How I save money as a young adult. After college, most people have quite a bit of responsibility. There are endless expenses you have, including rent, gas, utilities, and so on.

We all want to achieve financial freedom but that goal sometimes feels elusive. For some, increasing their income seems to be the only solution. Earning more money doesn’t always mean you will have more. Before you start chasing dollar signs first look out for and change sneaky habits which may be hurting your finances as well as your chances of achieving financial freedom.

Couple looking worried over finances.Prostock-Studio/Getty Images (Canva Pro license.) With the recent surge in inflation that has caused the price of just about everything to go up, including food prices, housing, gas, and utilities, it's no surprise that many Americans are now facing severe financial struggles.

Woman surprised when looking at utility bills.Maya/Getty Images (Canva Pro license.) If you are one of the thousands of Denver residents who saw a massive spike in your January Xcel utility bill, you are not alone. Due to a recent spike in the price of natural gas, some Colorado residents report that their January Xcel bill was 37% higher than the previous bill for December. For many Denver households, that works out to an increase of $100 or more per month in heating costs alone.

Woman shouting out of frustration.Laflor/Getty Images (Canva Pro license.) This week, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey offered a stern warning to food and consumer goods producers regarding the steep price hikes that we've been seeing at the grocery stores for the past couple of months.

Frustrated woman looking at grocery receipt.Prostock Studio/Getty Images (Canva Pro license.) With the recent rise in nationwide food prices and shortages of popular grocery items at local supermarkets across the country, many consumers have turned to wholesale retailers like Costco to save money on their grocery bills and get priority access to goods that may be in short supply in local grocery stores, such as pet food.

Woman picking up boxes outside a door.SDI Productions/Getty Images (Canva Pro license.) Amazon made an announcement late last week that they will be raising the price of their Prime Membership which provides "free shipping" to members for millions of items sold by the e-commerce giant. You can find more details about the rate increase here.

Being mindful of spending habits. The cost of living varies from place to place, but if there’s one common thing about living anywhere — it isn’t cheap. No matter where you live in the world, you have to pay for necessities including groceries, rent, utilities, gas, car insurance, and so on. The list of monthly expenses is endless, and unfortunately, all of these things add up pretty quickly.

Setting a budget can be a difficult process. It can be hard to decide what to pay and when to do it, and it can be frustrating not to know how much money you have left for entertainment. So, how do you budget? What can you do to make sure that your bills are paid, and you still have money left over for recreational activities? Though the answers to these questions might be different for everyone, here are a few suggestions.

Foods you can buy at Trader Joe's. I recently started shopping at Trader Joe’s more often because of how convenient and inexpensive it is. Trader Joe’s is a unique grocery store that sells all sorts of items, and they always have new products to try during the different seasons. The fall season at Trader Joe’s is my favorite, but overall, they’re a great store to shop at year round.

It's time to take your power back. We all need money to live. There’s no way to get around that unless you move into the wilderness and fend for yourself. Sometimes you end up doing work that you don’t enjoy in order to pay your bills.