It's the wonderful time of year when lots of college students graduate and join the ranks of the "real world". For most, it probably means paying student loans and getting a full time job. Here are some articles of interest.

• This article on blitizing college debts from MSN Money is at least two years old (I found it when I graduated from college two years ago), but the advice is as good as it was the day it was written.
• This article on building your first budget, also from MSN Money, is good in that it suggests a few more practical percentages that are a little more realistic, especially for those with lower-incomes.
• When I've gotten a change in pay, I always want to know how much my paycheck is going to be, after all of the various deductions. I always check out PaycheckCity, where you can plug in your pay, input your state/fed allowances, and input all of the deductions like 401(k) contribution, health insurance and get the net amount.

This is also posted at Financial Freedom Trek.

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