Need ideas for your next book to read? Frugal meal to cook? Online course to take? Or other resources that have helped me on my personal and professional journey? This list includes people I know personally, people I don’t know personally but respect professionally, and companies that I trust.
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My Favorite Learning Resources
- ChooseFI: Are you seeking to reach financial independence and retire early? I know I have my hand raised! I have learned a lot about credit card hacking, viewing money differently, and savings strategies from the ChooseFI podcast. I highly recommend listening if you trying to hack your way out of the rat race!
- Canva: Have you ever wondered how you could achieve Photoshop quality work for free? Canva is the answer! Canva is a free online graphic design platform that is very simple to use and learn. They have great tutorial videos and resources! I use it for my blog, Etsy shop, and Instagram page. Use my referral link to get credit for the paid version that takes your graphic design to the next level!
- Blogging for Profit: Are you like me and wanted to blog but didn’t know where to start? Use the course I took that helped me launch a blog in less than a week! I highly recommend Gold City Ventures for anyone on a blogging journey.
My Favorite Side Hustle Courses
- How to Start an Etsy Digital Printables Business: This is the first ecourse I completed through Gold City Ventures and helped me to earn $1,000 in passive income in 5 months with an Etsy digital product business. I learned so much and highly recommend this course! You can grab a free copy of their secret list of bestselling products here.
- How to Make a OneNote Planner: This was the easiest digital planner course I have ever taken! I was able to make an in demand product in a weekend with this course. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to tackle a simple and easy digital planner project.
- Passive Income Planner Girl: If you want to create a business around digital planning, then this is the best course to help you achieve your goals. It is extremely robust and thoughtfully taught. I love it!
- How to Successfully Run Facebook Ads: Marketing is half of the battle when selling products. This course will teach you how to create a winning strategy with Facebook ads. I highly recommend it. The woman, Yadsia, who teaches the course, has used ads to scale her own business to seven figures.
My Favorite Free Apps
- Goodreads: I use Goodreads as a way to track the books I have read and to challenge myself to read more books each year (I read 40 books in 2019 and my goal was 30). Their recommendations are also always on point! They also have a great giveaways section. I spend about 5-10 minutes a month entering the giveaways, and have won a book at least once a quarter!
- Libby: Libby is an app that links your library card number into a digital archive for books and audiobooks. I can’t say enough good things about Libby! I have a three hour daily commute and Libby has saved me with their audiobooks! Of the 40 books I “read” in 2019, 25 of them were audiobooks I downloaded for free through Libby. At an average price of $15, I saved approximately $375 by using this app!
- Swagbucks: Swagbucks is an app that gives you cash back on everyday purchases. I started using Swagbucks as an experiment on December 1, 2019 to see if it could live up to the hype, and I can say that I have already received a $10 Amazon gift card! Use my referral link to get started!
Best Meal Planning Resources
- Budget Bytes: I stumbled across Budget Bytes about 10 years ago and it has been an invaluable resource on my budgeting journey. Beth cooks nutritious and easy meals that are friendly for any diet. The part I love is that she breaks down the cost of each recipe per serving. This inspired me to create my own method for meal prepping that has saved me thousands of dollars a year!
- Minimalist Baker: Have you ever been curious about what to make for Meatless Mondays? Minimalist Baker has you covered! Their simple recipes have inspired me to expand my usual rotation of vegan meal ideas to save money. The website is also a great place for getting visually exciting step-by-step tips on how to do basic cooking skills.
- Plant Based on a Budget: This is another great vegetarian and vegan recipe resource for easy budget friendly meals. You can subscribe to their site for free recipes and meal plans to take the guesswork out of your weekly menu planning. Their cookbook, Plant Based on a Budget, is a 2019 Goodreads finalist for best cookbook! I am a member of their Facebook meal planning group.
Have recommendations? Let me know!