Basic Finance for the Self-Employed: 3 Free Open Courseware Opportunities

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Ever thought about starting your own business? Tired of the daily grind and hoping to venture off on your own? The path to becoming self-employed is definitely not an easy one. However, the ability to be your own boss is well worth the effort in the end. If you’re already working for yourself or are thinking about heading down that road, one of the most important things to do is get control of your finances, both personally and professionally, because now the two will have to function as one. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to learn about sorting your personal pocketbook and get started on some basic business accounting and finance via open course ware. And the best part is they are all completely free online. Try out a few of these free courses to get some education on going for the gold, all on your own:

1. Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning

The first matter you should probably take care of is sorting out your personal finances. We all have those bills that still need to be set on auto-pay, and we all spend money in areas we would rather dedicate to others. This course is designed to provide basic financial planning advice to the general public. It focuses on defining and reaching financial goals through risk management, taxes, wealth accumulation, investing, and wealth distribution.

2. Entrepreneurial Finance

Once you have your personal finances on their way to being sorted, it’s a good idea to focus on learning to think like an entrepreneur, especially where your money is concerned. This course provides a basic examination of entrepreneurial finance. It is especially focused on start-ups in the technology realm and provides a breakdown of the foundations of company development. Students will examine the ins and outs of raising money, finding donors, valuing a company, employment contracts and exit decisions.

3. Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting

Another smart thing to do is get as much formal education in the areas of finance and accounting as possible. This course is not based on ideals or theory, but rather provides an in-depth look at the basics of general accounting practices and financial bookkeeping. Students will examine financial reporting and learn from the perspective of the readers of financial and managerial reports.

About the author: Maria Rainier fell in love with blogging before it was cool, and now she’s lucky enough to make a living out of it. She generally writes about subjects related to online education, including universities that offer competitive online associate degrees and online bachelor’s degrees for the 21st century college student. Please share your comments with her!