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Often unknowingly, the average person makes financial decisions between six to 10 times a day.

"Anything from should I buy that coffee at Starbucks, to should I take a cab or take the subway, to am I paying too much for rent, should I renegotiate with my landlord," says Alexa von Tobel, the founder and chief executive officer of LearnVest.com

To help navigate through it all, von Tobel founded LearnVest.com, a website which she describes as a hub of personal financial information for women, including daily bite-sized newsletters, online calculators and financial checklists.

Yet as both men and women use money, why focus specifically on one gender? Von Tobel says women have not been as proactive about planning for the future.

"Two-thirds of single woman don't have an [Individual Retirement Account] or retirement plan," says von Tobel. "Any IRA is actually a huge gift if you open it early in your 20s and you put some money away. Compounding interest is pretty powerful."

Of course, planning for retirement can seem like a distant problem when the here and now consists of monthly bills, credit card debt, and student loans, which is why one of the most important tools in one's financial arsenal is a budget.

Knowing how intimidating creating a detailed budget can be, von Tobel made sure one of LearnVest's top features is a step-by-step budgeting tool.

"The first time I made my own personal budget, I was like, 'Wow, I have nothing at the end of this budget!' But the truth is, it's a great experience and it's really to know where is my money going," she says. "The second I knew where my money was going, I was like, 'Great, I know exactly where I need to save money.'"

While it's easy to see the benefit of having a budget, creating a budget and adhering to it are two very different things.

"It's very important because I have to pay my bills, I have to eat and I don't want to wake up and be like, 'Oh man, I spent $300 on these glasses and I can't pay my rent,'" says one New Yorker.

"I think [creating a budget] would be eye-opening. Do I think they will change their habits? Not necessarily. Like a diet, it might last for like a week," says another.

Von Tobel uses the diet analogy as well, but from a "glass half-full" standpoint. Like a diet, she says living a balanced financial life takes commitment and control, but ultimately, all the hard work and discipline will pay off.

"It's really about building good habits and healthy habits and there's always a place to save, always," she says.

For more information, visit www.learnvest.com.