Earning new money is exciting, but it can be challenging for many new adults who are learning to cope without being bankrolled by mom and dad.   Andrea Syrtash, special editor of How To Survive The Real World: Life After College Graduation (Hundreds of Heads, $13.95), provides 5 great tips from the book on dealing with your new finances. 

How to Survive the Real World offers these tips:

1)      Don’t spend what you don’t have, especially when it comes to credit cards.  

2)      Don’t be seduced by 10% off when you sign up for a new department store credit card. You’ll save a lot more in the end by passing on it. The fewer the credit cards, the better.

3)       Pack some lunches for work or grab coffee in the office—eating out every day can add up; it costs a lot more than you realize.

4)      Set a monthly budget and stick to it. Save a certain number of dollars each month, and use the rest as “mad money” for fun. Just know the amount of fun money you have to spend before you enjoy it.