Earning a degree teaches you a lot of things. From building a business from the ground up to learning how to manage your time better, you’ve come a long way since graduating high school. However, there’s one thing college may not have taught you: your personal finances management. That’s not to say you can’t manage money, however, managing your finances in college isn’t the same as afterwards. If you’re wondering which financial aspects to focus, here are the top ones to include in your budget.

Look at Your Take Home Pay

Part of following a graduate’s guide to job searching is determining if the compensation offered is a livable wage. Your take home pay is what you have after taxes and your contributions to Social Security. Using this as a guide, you can then calculate how much you need to save and how much you need for monthly expenses.

Paying Student Loans

Your student loans are probably one of your largest expenses you currently have. That said, you need to create a payoff strategy that works with your budget. The first step is to determine how much you can reasonably afford to pay each month. If you’ve been paying on previous loans, could consider refinancing. If you don’t know how to refinance student loans, you could talk with a private lender. Private lenders can help lower your monthly payment while offering lower interest rates as well. Another benefit of refinancing is that you can roll all of your loans into one. This not simplifies the repayment process, but keeps your loan payments under one roof.

Cut Out Hidden Expenses

If you’re like most people, you probably have monthly extras that you could cut out. If you signed up for Netflix or another streaming service that you really don’t use, you should consider canceling. Unused subscriptions can add up fast, so if you have any that you aren’t using, cancel and put the money to better use. The same holds true for eating out and impulse buying. Limit these splurges to once or twice a month, and only if it’s worked into your budget.

Housing Costs

Your housing is another major cost you need to think about. If you’re living at home, then this might not be applicable. However, if you live on your own, you might want to reevaluate how much you’re paying. If you’re paying more than 20 to 30 percent of your total income, moving might be in order.

Transportation Costs

You should also factor in transportation costs. If you live in an urban area, opt for a bike instead of taking taxis. You can also walk more when the weather is nice. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, then you may want to trade in your car, or at least work towards paying it off. You should look to bundle car insurance with other coverages to lower that cost.

Food

With inflation at an all-time high, you need to save money any way you can. So, when it comes to your grocery bill, you need to think frugally. Clip coupons, buy in bulk and try to buy ingredients to make double portions. If ground beef is on sale, buy enough to make more than one meal. You can meal prep for the week and freeze the rest. You can also buy generic instead of name-brands. Usually, generic brands are just as good as name brands and cost significantly less.

Leisure Activities

Who doesn’t want to let loose and have a little fun? We all do, however, when you’re on a budget, it’s easy to overspend. As a rule of thumb, you should be allocating about 10 percent of your monthly income. If you have a big event coming up, you bank your mad money until then without feeling guilty.

Emergency Savings

It might seem like a stretch but you need to start an emergency savings account. Even if it’s only $10 or $20, you should stash that away in the bank. Over time, you’ll find ways to add more while lowering costs overall. Your goal should be to have at least three to six months of savings in the bank.

Healthcare

Healthcare is another major expense that needs to be addressed. Aside from housing, health coverage can take a bite out of your budget. If possible, you should shop around for low-cost coverage that checks all the boxes at the right price.

Pet Care

Pets are like children, so if you have one, you also need to budget for them too. Set aside enough money to cover routine care, food and supplies and emergency vet visits.