There’s something magical about spending your days exploring interesting topics and trying to learn new skills.
For many of us, it doesn’t get better than being a full-time student. Unfortunately, our time in school inevitably comes to an end and we must enter the “real world” and get a full-time job.
Just because you’re working on your career doesn’t mean you want to stop learning.
Taking university courses or attending big-name conferences, however, come with pretty hefty price tags. And taking on a student loan while you’re still paying off your bachelor’s degree or maxing out a credit card aren’t appealing (or very smart) options.
The good news? A lack of funds doesn’t have to stop you from continuing your education. If you don’t have a few grand laying around to spend on formal training, think outside the box.
To get started, here are five ways to get better at your field or to learn brand-new skills – and they don’t cost you. It doesn’t get better than free!
1. Visit the Library
If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t been to a public library since you were a child. That’s too bad because there’s almost nothing you can’t learn at your local library.
Whether you want to become a WordPress guru or get fluent in Spanish, there are endless books and tools to help you in your journey—and you only need a library card. Everything requires self-directed learning, but that’s not impossible for most capable adults.
Even better, many library systems have digital lending options. Without ever leaving your home, you can gain access to hundreds of thousands of books via Kindle or other e-readers. Also, there’s a good chance your local branch offers free classes on many topics; just check the events calendar regularly to see what’s coming.
Also Read How I Prioritize Time for Learning and You can too!
2. Take an Online Class
Do you need a more structured approach to learning? Then taking a class through a free online portal might be a better fit for you. There are a lot of options out there to learn new skills, but here are a few of the most reputable:
● SkillShare: Focused on creative skills, such as writing and fashion, SkillShare has 500+ free classes (and thousands more are available with a paid membership). These video classes are typically less than an hour, with many as short as a few minutes. Use the rating system to help you select the best options.
● Udemy: Most of the audio or video classes in this marketplace cost $15 or more, but there are always some free options in the mix. Much of the content here is tech- and business-related.
● Coursera and EdX: If you’d love to go back to college, but aren’t so concerned with earning a degree, try these sites. They offer online courses from top universities, including Stanford and Harvard. You can choose to study the course materials and videos for free (or pay to get a Certificate of Completion). You create an account (no application necessary) and sign up for multi-week classes in a variety of topics. There are plenty of practical options (“Creative Problem Solving”), as well as more esoteric ones (“The Science of Happiness”).
● Highbrow: If time is of the essence, why not learn something new in just five minutes a day? Highbrow delivers short lessons to your email inbox each morning. There are a several “classes” on a variety of helpful topics, from technology to productivity.
● Code Academy: Learning the basics of computer programming might make you more attractive to employers. It’s also a great idea for self-employed people who hire web developers so you are better versed in their language. There are fundamental courses here for JavaScript, HTML, Python, and more.
● DuoLingo: This app turns learning a new language into a game, with varying levels and points for correct answers. Choose from 22 languages and get speaking, listening, and translation lessons in bite-sized chunks that make the process easy and fun.
Also read Make Learning easier than ever before with Micro Learning
3. Listen to Podcasts
Turn your phone into a professor. There are thousands of Podcasts available for free (subscribe for free via iTunes, Google Play, etc.) covering almost any topic of interest. These are a smart way to make a drive time more productive and entertaining.
Experts in almost every industry now offer podcasts with masterclass-level knowledge being doled out each week for free. For example, Amy Porterfield’s Online Marketing Made Easy will walk you through launching a product and growing an email list. And Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income is full of advice for building an online business that makes money while you sleep.
Also Read Podcasts with the power to lift your Mindset
4. Create an Exchange
Share your knowledge with others who want to learn more about your area of expertise and, in return, you can learn from them. Gather a group of like-minded professionals from a variety of fields and encourage information sharing.
Keep it informal where members are simply available to each other on an as-needed basis. Or, create structure with once-a-month instructional classes (the featured presenter/educator rotates among members until everyone has shared a formal lesson).
5. Go Back to Basics
There’s nothing wrong with using an old-fashioned bartering arrangement. Find someone who has the knowledge you want, and offer to provide him or her some amount of your product or service in exchange for one-on-one tutoring. It can take a while to find a taker, but this can be a very useful tool for gaining specific knowledge.
Also Read Skill-up with a Girls Night Out-Learning
No matter where you are in your career, setting aside time for continued education is always a good idea. Don’t use a small budget as an excuse to stop your studying. By getting creative, you can easily find unconventional ways of learning for free.
Do you have other smart hacks for getting an education for free? Share them in the comments so others can learn about them.
Disclaimer: Maroon Oak does not endorse or recommend any specific learning institution, nor has the Company been compensated in any way for listing the names above. While the information above is believed to be accurate and recent, readers are advised to do their own fact finding. The views expressed are the author’s.
Becky Mollenkamp helps established B2Bs spread their message by writing compelling content that educates, inspires, and activates their target markets.
She also offers a 10-week mentoring program that helps freelancers develop a CEO mindset to help them level up their businesses. Learn more about Becky and her offerings at BeckyMollenkamp.com or on her social media channels.
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I wanted to learn French. I think Duo-Lingo is definitely a good idea.
Its amazing how much knowledge you can gain from going on line from these courses from the comfort of your home. I want to learn some graphic designing so looking for a course that teaches it in a simple way.
These are great ideas. I absolutely love Edx! I am taking two classes now while I am on break. I am a course need 🙂 The others I haven’t hear of, but will definitely check them out.
Thanks for Sharing! I remembered I used Code Academy before when I’m reviewing some coding stuff. I saw Shaw Academy too, which has a 30-free day course for photography.
One of my fave ways of learning something new on the go is a podcast, there are so many out there that offer so much. All ways worth listening.
Learning is the only one option to get more knowledge and improve your skills. Then, one question arises- How to learn. The answer depends on your tastes and interests. As you said, there are several options available. I prefer to read books and online resources to get new skills.
Thanks for the share,
I love learning and listen to a lot of podcasts. They help so much and I also meditate with them too.
This is such a great post and came at the right time. I have been planning to learn German language for a very long time. I am already checking out Duolingo an may be commit to learning it more seriously from 2018!
Thanks for sharing.
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I love the idea of being a life long learner. I have taken some courses on Coursera, and have tried EdX and Udacity too. I loved the Duolinguo app too and tried refreshing my French there. Now I don’t really get much time to commit myself to a course, but I love reading as and when I can and I think that contributes beautifully to my thirst for learning. Great post, I wish more people read this and continue to learn, It’s truly rewarding.
It seems that these days with so many free resources the main limits on learning new skills are time and motivation. I tried Duolingo before and enjoyed it but I need to commit more to learning a language to make the most of it.
Great tips! I have been hoarding online classes since December last year and I totally love them, I’ve learned so many new skills.
xoxo,
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Really loved the post. Thanks for sharing this. I am going to share this post with a few friends who want to advance their skill sets without stepping out of the house.
I am going to check out the coding academy as I know a little about coding since I did some for my website, but I would like to do more!
Thank you for your tips! Am bookmarking this and will try first the DuoLingo to enhance my study of Italian language.
I believe no one should ever stop learning. It’s why I learned how to sew at 25… and pursued photography at 27… and started by blog at 29 (present day). And I absolutely loved all of your tips! There’s so many opportunities to teach ourselves whatever we want to learn nowadays so we truly have little excuses.
We have so much to learn especially now that it’s so much easier thanks to YouTube and other websites. It’s not so difficult to develop and learn new skills anymore.
The internet is one big source of information and there’s plenty of opportunity to learn online. These are awesome ideas!
I personally love taking online classes!!! There are so many available these days for either free or very little cost!!!
Great tips! I happen to love the library! I’m there often.
Never stop learning! This is a great post, there are so many great things that people may want to learn. I had no idea libraries helped people become fluent in another language that is great!
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These are all great tips and would be universal to almost any business minded person. I’m constantly trying to improve my thought process and efficiency in my business endeavors. Thank you!
Great advice! I LOVE Code Academy and SkillShare. I’ll have to check out the others. The Library is always a great place to start! It’s my Sanctuary.
I’m glad you’re using the library. I wish more of us did!
I love listening to podcasts and always learn something new! Great advice!!
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I love online classes! Such an easy way to fit things into your own schedule!
I love the focus on continued learning here – no matter what your life looks like or what your circumstances are, there is always room to learn and a way to get the job done. You just have to want to grow, and if you do, the opportunities are everywhere.
Agreed. We should all be always learning!
My husband just told me that he wants us to both learn German together. I wonder if there are free online classes for that. We need to do some research!
Check out DuoLingo. Or hit the local library to rent some CDs!
The library is so under-rated these days. They have so many great resources.
I couldn’t agree more. I hope people begin to rediscover the library.
I have had the DuoLingo app for over a year now! Reading your blog has inspired me to start. Thanks!
Do it! You’ll never regret learning something new. Thanks for reading!
These are such good tips. I love learning through udemy and also checking out books from the library. There are so many ways to increase our knowledge that we can take advantage of without having to really go too far.
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