Money crunchers tell us the average American household owed about $10,000 in credit card debt as of the end of last year. So now is a good time for financial experts pitching tough money advice at twentysomethings.

The nonprofit American Institute for Economic Research is targeting recent high school and college graduates as they enter what appears to be the toughest job market in more than two decades.

The Massachusetts-based institute just published "Start Here: Getting Your Financial Life on Track" for grads before they rack up big debt.

The book organizes some specific advice into 10 topics. Author R.D. Norton said too many personal finance books are too complicated or written for people well-launched into their careers rather than those starting out.

"Most have no experience with even the basics of disciplined, routine bill paying, budgeting, buying insurance," Norton said.

The easy-to-read guide labels the advice as "10 tough money tasks" and starts with how to pay your bills on time, providing practical tips:

• Designate a place to collect all bills.

• Establish a pattern of paying, whether you pay each bill as it arrives or pay in batches such as once a week on Saturday mornings.

• Consider paying bills online to save money.

• Look into automatic payments to save time and avoid late fees.

A recent Sallie Mae report found that 84 percent of college students have a credit card, up from 67 percent in 1998. And that explains why one chapter is titled "Temptation, Credit Cards, Debit Cards, ATMs."

The April Nilson Report ranked average credit card debt per household — regardless of whether or not members have a credit card — at $8,329 at the end of 2008. The average credit card debt for households that have a credit card was $10,679 at the end of 2008.

To handle that beast, the book suggests paying off credit card bills in full each month. Or reserving the card for large or emergency purchases while using the ATM card for everyday needs.

And the author reminds everyone to review bills in detail each month to make sure they are correct. Consumers usually have 60 days to contest a charge and not be responsible for the full purchase price.

The book also goes into finding out about your credit score and what you can do about it; tips on avoiding identity theft; car costs and insurance; health, disability and life insurance; and tips on recognizing financial fraud.

A chapter on "Couples and Money: Outsmarting Conflict" includes tips on prenuptial money talks that range from an exchange of expectations to a legal document.

Another specific tip for mixing money and romance in a two-income world is setting up a third account. So there's yours, your mate's and then "the house account" for such shared expenses as housing, electricity and cable.

The book also offers some advice for beyond the first years out of school that sets a foundation for figuring out when and where to buy a house.

And there is even some retirement planning. That chapter kicks off with an Oscar Wilde quote: "When I was young, I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old, I know it is."

It shows how even a modest $66 a month in savings that begins at age 25 ($31,680) can generate a nest egg of $100,000, assuming an average annual return of 5 percent, while it will take $168 a month and $50,400 to generate that same amount by 65.