These days, it's hard to just stick with one company. Whether it's the job market or just the way things work now, many people are finding themselves working for multiple companies in the span of just a few years. Read the stories of some of today's job hoppers from our partner site LearnVest:

These days, job hopping is practically a way of life. Gone is the idea of spending four decades at one company, ultimately retiring with a gold watch and a pension plan.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years workers stay at a given job is only 4.6, which allows them to rack up as many as 10 gigs in a lifetime.

The problem: Many employers still see job hopping as a deal breaker. Nearly 40% of recruiters and hiring managers say that a history of hopping is the single biggest obstacle for job-seekers, according to a recent survey conducted by recruiting software company Bullhorn.

We found four serial job hoppers who were willing to dish about their adventures in the labor market. Then we asked a crack squad of career experts for advice on how these hoppers can find a gig that will make them want to stick around.

Read on to get the details.

Having trouble approaching the dreaded financial discussion with your significant other? Our friends over at LearnVest are here to tell you why it's important and how you can do it successfully.

“We need to talk.”

Generally speaking, no good conversation starts with this statement . . . except when it comes to finances.

For anyone in a relationship, money isn’t just something that you should talk about: it’s a topic that you need to cover together. In fact, of the many arguments that couples can have, fights over money have been shown to be the best predictors of divorce — even more than spats over sex!

The good thing is that most people in a relationship want to be transparent about their money . . . they just don’t know how to do it. According to a recent Lawyers.com survey, 40 percent of couples (folks ranged in age from 25 to 55) agree that financial honesty is more important than being honest about fidelity.

RELATED: Long-Married Couples Confess — How We Talk About Money

So we asked LearnVest founder and CEO Alexa von Tobel — who just got married this past spring — to share her own strategy for having a productive money talk with your significant other.

Plus, you can also check out LearnVest’s new Love & Money Bootcamp, created in conjunction with Cosmopolitan magazine. The five-day program covers everything from how to successfully combine your money to the best ways to prep for your financially happy future together.

Why the Money Talk Is so Important

“Discussing finances openly with your partner is crucial because money plays into every aspect of our lives, from the jobs we take to the way we raise our children,” said Alexa. “Since it affects so many major decisions, it’s necessary to check in with your partner from time to time to make sure that you’re on the same page when it comes to your finances.”

And we’re not just referring to married couples. It’s necessary to have the money talk as soon as you start to get serious with someone, so you can lay the right foundation for further conversations as your relationship progresses.

Don’t know where to start? Here are Alexa’s top five tips for acing that first icebreaker money chat with your significant other:

Read on to find out what made the list.

Our friends at LearnVest share the top tips for acing your job interview:

Job interviews: Nobody likes them, but they inevitably stand between you and your dream job.

Unfortunately, “What’s your greatest weakness?” is no longer the only hard-to-answer question hiring managers will throw your way.

RELATED: 11 Things Hiring Managers Won't Tell You

New techniques, designed to do everything from measure your ability to handle criticism in the moment to downright intimidate you, are now being wielded more frequently by HR managers.

Life and Career Coach Anna Goldstein, founder of SelfintheCity.com, walks you through eight curveball interview techniques you might encounter, and the best way to ace each one.

Read on to find out what made the list

Can your yearly waste fit in a quart-size jar? Check out this amazing story from LearnVest about how a woman transformed her home into a zero-waste household.

Five years ago Bea Johnson and her husband and two sons were looking for a home closer to the restaurants, shops and school in their coastal California town.

Related: 6 Ways to Save Money–by Going Green

During the year they spent house hunting, the family of four moved into a small apartment, took only the possessions that were absolutely necessary and left the rest in storage.

“After living with just the necessities, we realized that we had much more time to spend with our family when we weren’t spending it caring for a large house and lots of belongings,” says Johnson.

Then, when they did decide on a house, they chose one half the size of their previous home and simplified by selling most of their old stuff.

Around that time, Johnson and her husband began investigating environmental issues. “We read books, watched documentaries, and what we learned worried us and made us sad for our kids’ futures,” she says. “So we decided to do something about it. My husband quit his job to start a sustainability consulting company, and I tackled greening our house.”

Read on for more.

Money is the biggest issue couples fight about. LearnVest shares the questions you need to ask your partner before you tie the knot. 

When my now husband and I first got engaged, I knew money would be an issue.

Not because either one of us had a particularly large debt, or were "bad" with budgeting. On the contrary, it was more that I love dealing with and talking about money, and I knew I wanted to be 100 percent in charge of ours.

Related: 7 Ways Money Memories Can Affect Your Finances

Obviously, we would need to have a talk about that.

It sounds easy, but when push comes to shove, the conversation can be awkward. Jackie Black, Ph.D., BCC, relationship expert, and author of Couples and Money: Cracking the Code to Ending the #1 Conflict in Marriage, and LearnVest Director of Financial Planning Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP®, gave us some important pointers on the best ways to have the money talk, what topics to cover . . . and why it's so important in the first place.

Why You Need to Talk About Money

"People's pasts deeply affect, and continue to influence, their financial presents and futures," explains Dr. Black. "Values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to money significantly limit people being able to talk about it and make good choices."

After all, a talk about money is rarely just a talk about dollars and cents — it's a more intimate reveal of beliefs and values, expressed through how you spend.

Don't believe us? Consider this question: Is private college tuition worth it? Most couples could debate for hours about whether they're gunning to send their kids to an Ivy League or a state school (or whether they'll foot the bill for college at all), and decisions like that have a big impact on where you put your money and how much of it.

Read on for more.

We tend to rationalize our impulse spending, and often enough, we're telling ourselves lies to feel better. LearnVest explores different situations in which we tend to spend more and make excuses for it. 

It's 9 p.m. — do you know where your wallet is?

If you're like many women, then it may be right there next to you on the couch as you idly peruse Spring dresses and pastel pumps.

Or at least that's what Gilt.com has found: the members-only retail site recently added 9 p.m. flash sales on Wednesdays and Sundays to cater to our apparently growing penchant for mid-evening impulse buys.

As my friend put it over dinner the other night, "It's the new post-happy hour. My weak point is 9 or 10 p.m. I get home, kick my shoes off, and online-shop. It's not like I need anything; it's just a way to detox from work."

In other words, after a tiring day, she feels like she deserves it. My friend has fallen prey to what consumer behavior experts call a "spending trigger" — an emotional state that makes us more vulnerable to parting with our money.

Related: How I Beat My Online Shopping Addiction

And as Gilt knows, she's definitely not the only one.

The good news? If you know your triggers, then there are ways to avoid financial regrets. Read up on five other states in which we all tend to overspend — and what you can do about it.

You're in the Dating Market

We recently analyzed which was more expensive: being married or single. While the tax advantages of either are a toss-up, single people definitely spend more at the prospect of a promising date. Putting your best face forward sets off spending triggers galore: there's temptation to splurge on everything from hair and makeup to waxing and wardrobe.

While we're all for feeling confident, remember that if this is someone new in your life, he or she doesn't know whether that dress you're wearing is brand new or your favorite go-to. Your best bet is to pick an honest friend who knows you well and to have her help you choose the hottest look from your closet.

And always remember that a good portion of a first impression comes down to not what you're wearing, but what you convey. So take a good look at your body language, and simply have fun.

Read on for more.

If only saving money took less effort, then we would all be doing a better job, right? LearnVest has some smart tips for sneaking ahead financially without much effort.

You know those people who organize their finances with multiple Excel spreadsheets and sophisticated investing strategies? Annoying or admirable, they kind of make you feel bad about your own, less-than-perfect finances, right? But let’s face it: The last thing you want to do is spend that much energy budgeting. Well, guess what? It's possible to improve your finances by doing a few things that actually require very little effort. Read on to learn how you can gain better control of your money—one easy tip at a time.

RELATED: I Cut Up My Credit Cards—and Paid Off $30,000

Order Staple Items Online

When we first reported on the Subscribe and Save offering from Amazon, we thought it was an especially good perk for parents. But it's actually great for anyone who likes discounted goods—and dislikes having to make frequent runs to the grocery store.

The premise: You choose items that you often need to restock—toilet paper, soap, detergent—and then set up regular, free shipments. Plus, many of the items are discounted on top of that.

Drop Change Into a Jar

It may sound crazy, but we sometimes forget that coins carry value. If you have loose change in your wallet or purse, you're more likely to spend it . . . or lose it in the depths of your car or couch cushions.

By putting your excess daily change into a jar, you’re preventing frivolous spending. And once you have a healthy stash, you can take your coins to the bank and deposit them. More savings!

Earn More Doing the Same Work

If you’re putting the time and effort in—and you have the results to prove your worth—it may be time to ask for a raise. As the saying goes: no risk, no reward. So put yourself out there, and earn a better salary for the job you've already done.

Just make sure that you have a strategy in place before meeting with your boss. When negotiating a salary increase, split the difference between what you currently make and your asking number. For instance, if you earn $30,000 a year, but you want to make about $35,000, ask for $39,500. And make it a point to show your manager just how your work has benefited the company, as well as how you’ve exceeded expectations and responsibilities.

Read on for more.

Deciding which customer loyalty program you want to enroll in is like picking your favorite food: there are just way too many options. Thankfully, our friends at LearnVest got their hands dirty and dug up some of the most rewarding programs. Which one sounds best to you?

My key chain is heavy with rewards memberships and my inbox is perpetually overloaded with “exclusive” and “members only” offers. I'm not a dedicated “couponer,” per se, but I do love a good deal.

Yet, off the top of my head, I don’t even know how many loyalty programs I’m actually signed up for. That's a sign it’s probably too many.

Read on for more.

Attention! You might be at risk for a tax scam! Read below to pick up some easy tips from LearnVest to make sure you're being safe and taking steps toward protecting yourself.

Tax fraud looks a lot like regular financial fraud — it costs you money and causes you a lot of frustration.

The good news is that if you're taking steps to protect yourself against identity theft and credit card fraud, then you're on the right track to preventing your tax refund, personal information, and money from falling into the wrong hands.

Related: A CPA Spills: The Biggest Tax Mistakes I See

But there's more you should know to prevent yourself from becoming a victim this tax season. Read on for the IRS's four top tax scams targeting people like you, how to prevent them, and what to do if you've already become a target.

Read on to find out how.

Everyone loves traveling rewards from travel credit cards, but how much do people actually know about the details of the rewards? LearnVest advises us to be more aware.

Travel rewards credit cards combine two of everyone's favorite things: travel and rewards.

And they're everywhere. You can't turn on the TV, walk through an airport, or flip open a magazine without seeing ads for the next great travel card. But to understand how these programs really work, you need to know more than a 30-second commercial can tell you.

For instance, what do you know about redemption fees? And how much money are your "points" actually worth?

It depends on your card, but travel rewards cards can be inconvenient, expensive, or downright deceptive. So before you apply, you need to read the fine print and do your research. We can't help you with the fine print, but you can start your research here.

Related: New Flight Pricing Could Take Off

Are you aware of these tricks?

If you're pretending to nod along when your pal's complaining about her taxes, perhaps you need to read this quick cheat sheet by LearnVest that addresses everything you've been wondering about filing.

Exemptions, filing status, and freelance taxes — if any of these have you scratching your head, we can help. We talked to LearnVest Planning Services certified financial planner Samantha Vient for answers to all your (really, not that embarrassing) questions.

1. Are there any benefits to filing early? And what happens if I file after the deadline?

The main benefit of filing before April is getting your tax refund back sooner. But filing really close to the deadline could also cost you money. "If you're working with a CPA and you dump your tax stuff on them two weeks before April 15," Vient says, "most people will charge you a premium." And doing your taxes earlier will mean that if you hit a snag like a missing form or needing to resolve a big question, you have more time to solve it.

Read on for more.

Beating the system never felt so good, especially when there is money involved. Don't worry: these financial hacks suggested by LearnVest are perfectly legal!

Just before the Enron scandal broke, the company's CEO immediately put his money into annuities — in his wife's name.

Why? Because those assets are creditor-protected, so they can't be seized (in this case, by the government).

Related: What Does It Mean to Be "Rich"? Depends on Your Age

This is just one example of many — remember the 14% tax rate Mitt Romney paid on his $13 million income? — illustrating how extremely wealthy people get the most from their money. And most of them do it legally.

Much of their success comes from knowing where to find loopholes in the financial system — "hacks," if you will. While we would never recommend any illegal or dishonest money moves (seriously, don't break the law!), there are a handful of legal personal finance hacks that are available to all of us — like these seven incredibly useful, low-profile tricks.

Hack #1: Borrow Against Your Home's Equity

This hack is for homeowners, but it's good for everyone to know about, should you ever decide to buy a home.

How It Works: Instead of having the bank front you the money you need through a personal loan, you borrow against your home's equity. (As a reminder, equity is the difference between the total of your mortgage and the appraised value of your home.)

The benefit here is two-fold: Since you've already been approved for a mortgage, the process will be less involved for this loan. You'll need to get your home appraised, but your lender should be able to walk you through the process. Second, interest payments on home equity loans are typically tax-deductible, unlike interest on personal loans.

Lenders probably won't give you an amount equivalent to the entire equity — you'll get more like 75 percent, at most. But if you have equity of $100,000, that's $75,000 you may be able to borrow. This is a great option if A) you're planning to stay in your home for a while and B) your home is worth more than what you paid for it.

Read on for more.

Whether it personally impacts you or not, it's important to be aware that the gender gap actually widened last year. In spite of — or maybe because of — that, our partners at LearnVest have put together a list of the best-paying jobs out there for women.

It's a shame that the inequality still exists, since reports show that closing the gender gap can actually help the economy.

We thought last year felt a little 2005ish, didn't you?

No? Okay, maybe not, but according to the latest numbers, one thing last year was very similar to 2005, and it doesn't make us happy. According to the numbers released in February, the gender gap actually widened by more than a percentage point in 2012, taking us back to levels from 2005 with women earning 81 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Additionally, the hourly pay for female college grads dropped 8.5% between 2000 and 2011, compared to 1.6% for men.

Despite that news, the good news is that Forbes came out with a list of top-paying jobs for women in 2012, and the position in the top spot offers equal pay for men and women.

To come up with their findings, Forbes analyzed the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in 2012, detailed by occupation and gender and tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Perhaps not surprisingly, top jobs included positions in health care, business and computer science.

The top 10 jobs, their median yearly earnings and the percentage of women who comprised the profession are listed below:

1. Pharmacist: $97,500; 52%
2. Chief Executive: $90,000; 26%
3. Lawyer: $85,000; 33%
4. Nurse Practitioner: $79,500; 84%
5. Computer and Information Systems Manager: $79,500; 26%
6. Physician and Surgeon: $74,000; 35%
7. Physician Assistant: $71,000; 69%
8. Software Developer, Applications and Systems Software: $71,000; 20%
9. Management Analyst: $69,000; 42%
10. Computer Systems Analyst: $65,000; 33%

Check out these other smart LearnVest stories:

A Guy Confides: I Get Paid More Than My Female Co-Worker

10 States Will Raise the Minimum Wage in 2013

10 Stereotypically Female Jobs in Which Men Earn More

5 Tips to Negotiate Your Salary Up

With new phone models coming out all the time, it's only natural that our old ones get tossed aside in a dusty drawer pile. But our partners at LearnVest point out why we all have a major incentive to turn them in for cash.

Believe it or not, mobile phones are just one of the many items taking up space in our homes that can be easily sold online.

I'll admit it. I have a brand spanking new iPhone, and yet my old (still perfectly usable) phone is sitting, gathering dust, in my bedside drawer.

Turns out I'm not alone. According to a new survey, more than half of American consumers admit to having two or more unused cell phones in their homes. So how much would the combined trade-in value be if everyone up and sold their old gadgets?

A whopping $34 billion.

And old iPhones — the mack daddies of unused phone equipment — account for approximately one quarter of that sum. But there's good reason for users to stop hoarding their old phones and turn them in instead. As technology analyst Jeff Kagan told MarketWatch, "if more iPhones flooded the market, the resale price would drop, and there would be less incentive for users to upgrade."

In other words, the reason used iPhones are still so expensive to purchase is because so few people sell theirs back when they move on to the newest and latest version.

Nearly 20% of those surveyed said that the reason they didn't sell back their old phones is simply because they're "too lazy." (For the record, Apple does have a recycling program in place.)

Another 20% were worried about releasing personal data along with their old phones, while 20% more said they didn't realize they could make cash off their old phones.

Only 20% said they actually had recycled or sold an old iPhone in the past.

Tell us: Have you ever sold back or recycled an old phone?

Check out these other smart LearnVest stories:

How to Negotiate for a Better Cell Phone Bill

How You Can Afford an iPhone: Prepaid Carriers

The New Mobile Web Frontier

How Your Phone Will Become Your Wallet and Credit Card

With so many people offering financial advice, it's hard to know who to turn to; our partners at LearnVest offer us some tips on how to know what type of advisor is right for you.

While there are many financial tasks that you can accomplish on your own — like setting up a budget that works best for your lifestyle — sometimes you just need to call in the pros.

Financial planners and financial advisors with formal training can help get you to the next level of fiscal health — or give you the necessary push to reform some bad money habits. They aren't just for emergencies or for people with considerable assets, either — in fact, consulting the appropriate professional before anything goes wrong may circumvent a whole host of potential problems.

But with so many types of experts out there, it can be hard to figure out what kind of financial advisor will be most effective for your particular situation and needs.

So we've simplified things a bit by putting together this helpful go-to guide to the seven most common financial services professionals — from experts who offer the most comprehensive list of services to financial advisors who specialize solely in investing — to help you figure out who to call when. Keep reading.

Are you getting a smaller paycheck this year? LearnVest gives you tips on how to cope with less income.

As we previously reported, the increase in payroll taxes that hit on Jan. 1 meant that workers making $41,000, the average nationwide salary, saw $64 less in take-home pay a month, translating to nearly $770 less for the year.

Related: How to Change Your Withholding

Whether it's taxes, a new job with lower pay, or just a good old-fashioned pay cut that's making you sweat, there are a few things you can do to soften the blow. We asked LearnVest Planning Services' Ellen Derrick, CFP®, to share some.

1. Reconsider What You're Paying For

Look for any nonessential deductions that might be coming out of your pay, and decide if you can go without them. "I often see deductions coming out of people's pay for things like Aflac or extra insurance that they aren't using," Derrick said. "I'm not saying that down the road you can't add these things back in, but if money's tight, you probably could use that cash in hand now."

Read on for more.

Sometimes a job offer can seem too good to be true. LearnVest shares some red flags to be aware of with job offers.

I moved to New York in search of fame and fortune . . . just kidding.

In all honesty, I moved to the Big Apple unemployed and in search of an entry-level position — but I'm one of the many casualties of the economic downturn.

It didn't help that my strategy for landing a full-time job was anything but, well, thought out.

RELATED: 11 Things Hiring Managers Won't Tell You

To date, I've applied for dozens of jobs — many of which were far from my dream position. In today's economy, you can't be too picky, but sometimes the gig just isn't right. In fact, I've learned that it's probably in your best interest to pass on a position if the company does any of the following . . .

1. Information about the organization isn't widely available or any info you find presents the company in a bad light.

It's easy to write off a negative review and consider it a random act of a scorned employee. I thought this was the case when I interviewed for a position at a boutique PR firm. The company's website was under construction, and the first result to appear in a Google search was a review from a former freelance employee who claimed that the "insane" boss still owed her $50 for her services. Beyond that, there was almost no information available about the firm, and the rarely updated Facebook and Twitter pages had few followers and lots of spam.

Still, who am I to say no to an interview?

During said interview, the owner handed me an in-depth explanation of what my job duties would be, including a page of guidelines on answering the phone. For example, if a certain company should call asking for the owner, I was to say that she was unavailable. Why? These things known as "collections agencies" had been "calling for months."

Read on for more

If you and your partner are money opposites, LearnVest says there's a way for you to both compromise and deal with each other's financial differences peacefully.

When you discuss finances with your partner, do you feel as though you're talking from opposite sides of a stadium? If so, you're far from alone.

Everyone who's ever squirmed through a money conversation with a loved one knows that differing opinions can be challenging—at best. In fact, according to a nationwide survey conducted by LearnVest and TD Ameritrade, money is one of the top marital stressors.

RELATED: 6 Ways to Combine Finances With Your Partner

As sensitive as financial issues can be, they can also build trust. The survey found that at least 60% of married people trust their partners to manage their finances—a number that rises to 70% among couples in their 60s and up.

Financial awareness grows alongside trust, but more dramatically. The survey also showed that just a quarter of couples aged 18-35 has a clear picture of each other's income and debt, but 60% of Baby Boomers clearly understand their financial footing.

So how can you and your spouse make opposite money perspectives a source of strength rather than friction? For one, communication is crucial. Even when you trust your spouse's financial management, be sure to have candid, regular discussions about money matters.

To show how it can be done, three couples at different points in their lives divulge how they deal with opposite approaches to money—and how these differences can even bring partners closer.

Colby and Nick Peters, Annapolis, MD

Colby and Nick, both in their early 30s, have been married for three years. Despite Nick's conservative financial outlook and Colby's carefree spending, they've managed to reach a happy medium. "Our financial personalities have changed to meet in the middle," Colby says.

Each month, the couple reviews their accounts and upcoming expenses. Nick also checks his bank balances once a week, and he gets anxious if he dips into his savings. "Colby reassures me that everything is fine, and she's right," he explains. "Allowing for the occasional splurge isn't the end of the world."

Nick cites his first credit card as an indelible lesson: It had a $1,500 limit—a purposefully low amount that helped him avoid overspending. And he has kept that limit ever since. When Colby met Nick, she carried about $10,000 in credit-card debt, but she steadily paid it off. She also adopted a similarly low credit-limit plan, which curbed her impulse spending on clothes and restaurants.

Read on for more.

Know the truth about money-saving traveling tips from LearnVest.

It seems like we hear the same tips to save money on travel over and over (after all, we’re keeping an eye out!).

But what’s worth following—and what should we ignore? Time.com put together its own list, with a twist: these money-saving tips go against conventional travel wisdom. Just in case you don’t have a chance to pop over and read them in full, we’ve summarized them below.

RELATED: The Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets for Every Occasion

Myth #1: Book Plane Tickets Early for the Best Deals
It probably doesn’t pay to book your flight to your friend’s wedding six months in advance, no matter how hard she insists. Recent studies show that the best prices are usually six to seven weeks prior to your trip.

Myth #2: Get the Extra Car Insurance
You probably don’t need the extra insurance when you rent a car. If you have a major credit card or personal auto insurance, you very likely already have rental-car insurance and should think twice. Of course, double-check with your insurance policy or call your credit card to get the details. The article points out that major rental companies are now charging “loss of use” fees, so it’s worth specifically asking about that.

Myth #3: Ask to Pay in USD
Some people think that being charged in U.S. dollars will help them avoid a foreign transaction fee. But that’s not the case, especially if the merchant uses that as an opportunity to use an exchange rate favorable to him or her. Using your credit card overseas is usually smarter. Often, credit cards have a lower exchange rate than most American banks—about 8% lower—so long as they don’t also charge a foreign transaction fee (if they do, you lose a lot of the discount, so it might not be worth it). They also provide added security if a transaction goes awry.

Myth #4: Plane Tickets Are Cheapest on Tuesday Nights
Contrary to popular knowledge, Tuesday (or Wednesday) nights may not, in fact, be the best time to purchase airline tickets. A new study from Texas A&M found that tickets purchased on the weekends were about 5% less expensive. Other research from CheapAir.com found that there’s really no difference between days.

Myth #5: Hotel Deal Sites Are the End-All, Be-All
You don’t always get the best deals through hotel deal sites. More and more hotel chains are offering price-matching in order to compete with the third-party sites—and they usually offer other perks and packages you can’t find anywhere else. If you find a better rate than the hotel itself is offering, let them know.

Myth #6: Duty-Free = Best Deal
Duty-free may be tax-free, but it’s not always less expensive. The article cites a comparison experiment by Esquire magazine, which found that alcohol and cigarettes are a better deal, but leave the makeup, perfume and jewelry at the airport.

— Erin Scottberg

Check out these smart stories from LearnVest:

Take Your Dream Trip: 5 Surprisingly Affordable Destinations for 2013

Things to Know Before Traveling Abroad

Can a Travel Agent Actually Save You Money?

Why a 'Cheap' Vacation Is Anything But

Source: Flickr User epSos.de

There are only so many hours in a day, and many of them are being wasted. LearnVest explores the concept of being busy and offers practical strategies for becoming more efficient.

I certainly think I'm busy. I work a demanding (although fulfilling!) job, have an additional side gig — and even take on freelance stories regularly.

Because my various forms of work take up so much time, I feel like I have barely any time left for socializing, sleep, cooking, and cleaning. And forget exercise.

But I still manage to read and post on Facebook regularly, write personal emails to certain people (while ignoring others), surf the web, watch The Daily Show, and listen to a lot of music.

Related: 7 Bad Habits That Are Actually Good For You

How do I manage to fit this all in? I take my iPhone to bed and waste time on it before I nod off, before getting out of bed, and even during the middle of the night. So it's not that I don't have time for things like cleaning or exercise — I apparently prefer to lie in bed killing time on my iPhone.

Taking the New Year, New You theme to heart, I decided to change my ways using some tips from "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think" and "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business."

Why You're Not as Busy as You Think You Are

But before we dive into the tips, let's look at why you can actually squeeze more time out of what might feel like an already-packed schedule. Author Laura Vanderkam points out that we all have 168 hours in the week. So when we look at people who are able to "do more" than we do, often it's simply because they manage their time better.

One of our biggest challenges when it comes to capitalizing on time: we don't really know how we spend it. Vanderkam points out that surveys in which people are asked to recall how much time they spent on certain activities usually get different results compared to experiments that ask people to keep a time diary.

As she puts it: "We are prone to over- or underestimate things based on socially desirable perceptions or current emotions. For instance, few of us love the routine aspects of housework . . . So if someone asks us how much time we spend on such things, we overestimate — by something on the order of 100 percent for both men and women — compared to the actual numbers recorded in time diaries."

Read on for more.