Learning more about finance is always a good idea for personal or professional reasons. The world of money management is constantly evolving in exciting new directions. Numerous opportunities could arise from each change.
Fintech is a good example of how things are pushing forward. Some of these companies have been touted as the best investments in recent years, with shares leaping in value. Of course, proper financial management is key for all businesses, so interest in firms that deal with analytics and revenue-based financing strategies for firms is unlikely to wane.
Finance is important from a personal standpoint, too. A cost of living crisis is underway in the UK, and people should be prepared. It’s never too early to get on top of things. Learning more about finance can help you make more informed decisions in the future.
Still, you might not think learning about finance could be exciting in any way. There are plenty of exciting ways for you to learn about finance in a way that is both stimulating and engages your brain. Here are some suggestions on approaching these matters that might prove you wrong.
Take a Managerial Finance Course
If you have a professional interest in improving your knowledge of finance, an online course might be able to improve your prospects. You may be able to enjoy a stimulating learning experience and even network among equally inspired peers.
The LSE Managerial Finance online certificate course can help in these matters. You will learn by employing various modes and means, including video lectures, real-world case studies, well-presented infographics, and more. Weekly class-wide forums enable you to interact with fellow learners, who could be people working in finance trying to refresh their skills or are actively working toward assuming a financial management role.
Giving your learning a sense of formal structure could be invigorating. You would have a schedule to adhere to and possibly the chance to build a connection with those in the industry. This depends on who is on the course at the time so it’s worth finding out before you apply. An LSE certificate of competence can be earned upon completion of the course, helping you feel a sense of pride in your accomplishments. Learning about managerial finance in this way can help give you the knowledge you need for either personal or professional reasons. You must free up 8-12 hours of your time every week for six weeks.
Consider looking into the reviews from various online courses. This will allow you to find out how the people who were in your position found the course. This could help you make a more informed decision regarding whether or not you actually go for one course over another.
Join an Online Forum
It might be that you enjoyed the rapport you built with fellow finance enthusiasts throughout your online studies. You may be able to continue networking with like-minded finance enthusiasts via an online forum. They could come in the form of financial experts or they could be people with the same knowledge as you. The point is to share your experiences and learn from each other. This can help you all gain insights that you may not have had before.
These digital spaces can host sprawling communities of accountants, investors, bookkeepers, and more. Discussion boards can be split up into different sections, allowing you to navigate these spaces easily and immerse yourself in the key topics of finance that interest you most.
Of course, there are never total guarantees of your safety online. Digital forums can be useful, but it’s important to keep your well-being in mind. Avoid revealing your personal details to anyone or generally oversharing your circumstances. Be sure to fact-check any commentary or advice you receive that piques your interest. It might seem like basic advice, but people can sometimes be forgetful or careless as they browse the web.
Listen to Finance Podcasts
Podcasts can be great ways to learn about a topic and can complement a managerial finance course well. There’s no visual element beyond selecting what you wish to listen to, so you can immerse yourself in these recordings while performing household chores, exercising, or unwinding for the evening.
The BBC also reported an uptick in listeners to their podcasts as the medium became more popular. Remember, you’re doing more than learning about finance with a podcast. New episodes are typically released each week, allowing listeners to grow fond of the content over a prolonged period.
Guests can also be brought on board to offer their thoughts on certain financial matters. Contributions from FinTech executives, famous entrepreneurs, and other interesting characters can help reinvigorate the content and keep you on your toes as a listener. You may even be able to feature as a guest yourself if they invite listeners to submit questions and feature on the podcast.
Moreover, the host can sometimes be an expert, or at least experienced, in the field. By listening to their finance podcast, you can access their hot takes and opinions on financial matters — on their terms. They are not likely to have filtered their views for a publication, nor has a media outlet condensed or misjudged the hosts’ opinions on any topic.
Engage Consultants, Accountants, and Advisors
Learning about finance can be riveting. That said, understanding how to fund certain large expenses might seem overwhelming, which is why it might be useful to contact a financial expert.
Some financial service professionals might be open to informal conversations about your prospects. Do you hope to one day expand your property? Are you wondering how to negotiate prices with car dealers? Might you need help with any investment or budgeting decisions? A quick conversation with a financial service professional could give you more clarity about your finances. It can feel empowering to have possibilities ahead of you.
These experts are trained in a wide range of finance areas. You can speak to an accountant or a financial advisor to go over any financial concerns that you may have. You can work with more specialized financial service providers for specific needs. You may want more tailored advice that will be relevant to your business, for example.
It may be worth speaking to any friends or family members that you know have worked with consultants, accountants, or advisors in the past. They may be able to provide you with recommendations from experts that benefited them. You may find that you trust these opinions more than those that are randomly found online.
