I was compensated for this post but all opinions are my own.
Whatever you do and whatever you earn, there are still a great many good reasons to be frugal.
But when you earn more money, the whole business of budgeting becomes that much easier. We’re able to set more aside in our savings and invest more in improving our homes, our health and our quality of living.
It would be great if we could guarantee that our wages will rise with the annual rates of inflation, but unfortunately, no such guarantee exists. If we’re to truly master our finances we need to take our future into our own hands and imbue ourselves with the skills we need to climb the career ladder.
But how can we do this without spending a small fortune and miring our family in debt? Well, there are a few ways in which you can boost your skills, grow your contacts and empower yourself in your career without spending a fortune.
Learn from the best
Some of the best business minds have already disseminated knowledge that could help you to build your skills and further your career.
That information is out there and usually accessible for free. It’s just up to you to go find it. Watch TED Talks, read free white papers and ebooks and keep up with the blogs of people you admire.
Get the qualifications you need… One way or another
If you want to get ahead in business, a qualification like an MBA is the golden ticket. But getting qualified on your own dime can be expensive.
Although pursuing an online MBA like a Masters of Engineering Management can be far less expensive than campus-based learning, it’s worth finding out if your employer would be willing to bear at least some of the cost for the sake of your development.
Good employers are not afraid to develop their employees and invest in their career progression. If your employer is reluctant to do this, maybe you should take your skills to an employer who will.
Attend free networking events
Networking events are a great opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills and gain the all-important business contacts which could one day transform your career.
Many of them are free and so the only real investment required of you is one of time and stepping out of your comfort zone. Forbes has a great article on getting the most out of networking events.
Read… A lot!
Reading really is fundamental! In fact, Warren Buffet has been very vociferous in attributing his reading of 500 pages a day as a key to his success.
Reading is not only staggeringly important, but it can also be extremely affordable. Your local library is a great source of free books while there are lots of ways in which you can get free e-books which can help you to build your skills and further your career.
Who says you need to spend a fortune to further your career?