Without any formal personal finance instruction in our high school or college curricula, many college seniors who graduate in the red will continue to make common financial mistakes that only exacerbate their debt burdens.

As a wife, daughter, friend, and the founder and CEO of LearnVest, my schedule is anything but simple. But I learned early on how to meticulously manage my time.

Know the difference between your necessary and discretionary expenses.

You should go to work every day a little bit nervous.

Before you take the leap, before you jump, really make sure it's going to be something you want to get out of bed [to do] everyday, because it is so hard. So you want to make sure that you're really committed.

I go to bed at 2 a.m. and get up at 7 a.m. - I've never been a sleeper. But I definitely get sick every month-and-a-half.

The best advice that I can offer is that being proactive and a careful planner is key. Think about the major things that could shake up your financial life, and Ill bet there are some great ways to protect yourself.