After a decade of frivolous spending and trial-and-error, most of us have figured out how to navigate the most common money mistakes by the time we hit 30. However, then we face a whole new group of challenges that have the potential to ruin you financially. From spending too much on your wedding day to putting your kids' education before your retirement, here are 11 common pitfalls to avoid.

Read enough financial advice and you can start to get the sense that any mistake or flaw in your financial life is catastrophic. In fact the opposite is true. Not only is it OK to be imperfect, but you can turn even the worst disaster around.

It makes logical sense to pay off your highest interest rate debts first. Yet research shows that paying off smaller balances is actually more effective. It's a good reminder that making financial progress isn't just about logic, it's also about behaviour.

When you budget, you typically organise your finances around the days you get paid and the days your bills are due. If your due dates aren't convenient, many bill providers will allow you to change them.

Most of us have a stash of coins somewhere in our home. It could be a change jar, a drawer, or even a pile of the jingly, jangly stuff sitting on a window sill. You save it because, well, it's money, but also because it's a pain to carry around and actually use. Here's what to do with that massive coin stash.

You know it's important to get your money under control if you ever want to get out of debt, go on awesome vacations, or retire someday. The problem is, a lot of people don't know where to start or feel like they don't have time. If you have just a day, we have you covered.

Investing isn't as hard as most people think, but there's a lot of jargon to learn. Stocks and bonds are two common terms that come to mind when you think about investing. Many people don't know the difference, so we're going to break it down.

Dear Lovehacker, I'm juggling study with part time retail work and my partner is studying on government benefits. She has found her career calling, but it requires significant financial investment for several years before any hope of income. What should I do?

Watching television over the weekend, I came across one of those "gold is the only real investment" commercials. Since 2008, though, gold has not been a very good investment. But people fall for these commercials all the time.

In the moment, you can justify pretty much any purchase decision. Maybe you do need a third coffee maker and more flannel shirts -- they're 40% off! But wait, do you really? This flowchart helps you figure out if your desire to buy is actually out of necessity or just an impulse.

You know your credit history matters when you apply for a loan, but that's not the only factor banks use to determine your loan eligibility. GOBankingRates lists a few other considerations they make when you apply.

If you're trying to get your finances straight and you're completely intimidated with the work ahead, take it one step at a time. Commit to just fifteen minutes of financial literacy a day.

Last year, I wanted to write a book. It seemed like an impossible task. But I figured, "if I can write a long blog post, I can surely write one chapter," so I took it one chapter at a time. Before I knew it, I finished the whole thing. Small actions made all the difference and our finances work the same way.

You don't learn everything about money at once. Most of us take a series of steps in the right direction until we finally feel in control of our finances. If you're not sure what steps to take, Credit.com has a monthly guide to help you get started.

The sooner we learn about money, the more time we have to develop solid financial habits. An pocket money is a good opportunity to teach kids how money works. Over at the Penny Hoarder, one father explains how he uses an "allowance contract" to teach his kids to negotiate salary.

Overdrawing your account is the worst. Fees and penalties pile up, especially if you're just trying to make ends meet and pay the bills. The "buffer method" can help you always keep the right amount in your account to pay all the bills, and know how much you can spend or move out to savings.

There's a massive amount of paperwork you have to send over when you apply for a mortgage. Before your loan is officially approved, one false move could stall the process and lead to even more paperwork. Credit.com points out a few factors that can hold up your approval.

Saving money is great for the future, but spending it is more fun now. Connecting your present and future self is one of the biggest challenges of money management. Research shows the occasional positive nudge really can help you stick with your goal.

If you want to score rewards travel, you have to allow your credit card points to accumulate and that can take a while. Just don't hoard them, because they could lose value over time.