My guest today knows what it feels like to be in your 20s and overwhelmed by work, money and just, life, in general. She’s only 27 years old and has already experienced a devastating lay off from work (just two months after joining a company), going nearly broke… I believe it was something like $13 or $14 left in her bank account …and at a loss for how to redirect her life.  It happens in your 20s. I experienced it. I recall being in a movie theatre one night after weeks of not sleeping, overworking, getting told at work that I was NOT good enough, questioning all of my life’s decisions up until that point…and I was sitting in a dark crowed theatre watching Big Fish…and started to CRY like a baby…It wasn’t a sad part in the movie. I just started sobbing…and then hyperventiliating…and then being escorted out of the movie theatre. Yeah I’ve been there. Your 20s are rough…and then on top of that you’re expected to make smart financial decisions.

Today’s guest is Mandi Woodruff and she is a warrior. She knows the pains of trying to figure it all out before you hit 30 and confesses…it’s a loser’s game. By day she is the personal finance correspondent for Yahoo Finance where she hosts the weekly web series, Money Minute, delivering 60-second explainers on some of life’s trickiest money questions. She’s been a reporter for more than seven years and studied journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, home of the Peabody Awards.

During our time with Mandi we learn:

— The moment she decided to change her money story and stop her past from sabotaging her finances.

— How she negotiated her way to a 30% raise.

— How young professionals can maximize their 20s and get what they want out of money, their career, and life without having a meltdown.

If you’d like to learn more about Mandi Woodruff, head over to Yahoo Finance or Facebook and follow her on Twitter @mandiwoodruff.