Just because we aren’t in school anymore doesn’t mean that we stop learning. I love checking out free online classes to learn a new skill or to help me solve a problem.
There are so many helpful sites that are free or very cheap to use. This is great for stay at home moms, retirees, or anyone who just wants to expand their knowledge.
I graduated with a degree in Biology and Chemistry. I used it for a while but it just wasn’t my passion. I really wish I would have figured that out before I had $20,000 in student loans. You live and learn.
My point is that I am now a blogger and I didn’t take any classes on computer science or coding. I learned how to set up a website and run a blog all on my own with the help of free online classes. I am now taking a few classes on business and marketing topics to help me grow my business.
Here are just a few of the places I have found that offer free online classes that cover a variety of topics. There are some affiliate links in this post but I only recommend things that I would personally use.
Craftsy
Craftsy is great for people that want to learn some kind of craft or expressive skill. They currently offer 47 free mini classes on topics like: cooking, knitting, gardening, woodworking, jewelry making, and so much more.
They also offer in depth classes that you do pay for. The classes are very affordable though, with prices usually around $15-$20. There are classes on photography, cake decorating, embroidery, drawing, paper crafts, and so much more.
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SkillShare
Skillshare is a really neat site that offers thousands of online classes. They have topics like: business, gaming, design, photography, film, technology, DIY, crafts, music, fashion, and so much more.
Just pick the topic you are interested in and you can then filter the classes to only view the free ones.
They have a lot more available in the Premium section buy you need a membership to view them. The membership is really cheap though, you can get your first month of unlimited classes for free! You can then cancel your subscription if you don’t like it or you can keep the membership for only $8 per month.
I have watched so many of their blogging and social media classes and I love them. This is a great and affordable resource if you are interested in starting your own blog or any kind of business in general.
Local Library
Your local library may be a great source if you want to learn a new skill. The bigger your city is, the more you will have to choose from. Just go to your library’s website and check out their calendar of events. Mine had a ton of options that I would love to attend.
I found classes on cooking on a budget, product photography, guide to selling on eBay, finance classes, genealogy, and more. I was surprised at how much they offer!
Fitness Classes
If you are like me and don’t have time to go to the gym (or just hate going) you can get free fitness classes to do in your own home, on your own schedule.
Beachbody On Demand is offering a free 30 day trial where you get access to over 400 of their most popular workouts. Choose from programs like P90X, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, and more.
You get the first 30 days free to see if you like it, and then it is $2.99/week. You can cancel anytime before your trial is over so that you won’t be charged.
Language Classes
If you are interested in learning a new language but don’t want to spend a fortune on Rosetta Stone, you can check out Open Culture. They offer 48 languages that you can learn for free.
A lot of them come with a textbook that you can download as a PDF and audio so you can listen on your computer or phone. There is a short description of each class so you can pick the ones that will work for you.
For the Kids
My daughter is two and she LOVES using ABCMouse.com. She learns so much and has fun while she is doing so. They have 6 different learning levels so this is great to help you child prepare for preschool or kindergarten.
They offer all kinds of subjects like: Art, Music, Reading, Math, Science, and more!
They are currently offering a free 30 day trial. So you can try it out for free to see if your child loves it and would benefit from the program. If not, you can unsubscribe (it’s really easy to do so) and you won’t be out any money. I currently have a year subscription for my daughter, and I don’t regret it!
YouTube
Don’t underestimate YouTube for free online classes. This is how I really learned how to set up a website and get it up and running.
I would type in the search box exactly what I wanted to learn and the videos would walk me right through it. This is great for learning new beauty and cooking tips, too.
Just make sure you look at the date that the video was uploaded. If you are wanting to learn about technology, it’s best to watch the most recent video just in case the information may be out of date.
Free College Classes for Seniors
If you are 65+, you may be able to take college classes for free. Some states offer tuition waivers for senior citizens so that they can take college classes. People want to make a career change or just get out and meet new people and keep their mind active.
If you are interested, check out this site. They have a link to each state’s tuition waiver program so that you can see if your state participates and how much tuition they will cover.
These are just a few places that you can get free online classes. There are many more options available but these are the ones I personally love. You can also check out your local churches and community centers if you want to find more hands on classes.
Polly says
These are great tips! I love learning new things…especially now that I don’t have to (with school and all).
Another resource involves online medical continuing education courses. Many times they invite you to read the material at no charge and you only pay if you wish to take the test and want the certificate for credit.
Thank you for the great ideas!
hewella1 says
Thanks for the tip, I didn’t know about the medical courses!
marie says
did I miss something? I read this article twice and didn’t see any medical.
marie says
Oops, never mind. I see it was in the comment section. sorry
Amy Perina says
Where do you see the medical?
hewella1 says
For those of you looking for medical classes, you can check out this site: http://oedb.org/open/subjects/health-medical/ Hope this helps 🙂 .
Eman says
It is good and useful..thank you
Dorea says
Trying to learn how to speak Korean. Love the online audio books but was wondering if there are workbooks with the worksheets in them that I can download the actual work on?
Vilma says
Hi.
Also check out futureshare.com
Sabi Pflucker says
Thank you for the tips! You saved me a lot of time and money.
Thanks for taking the time and for sharing.
Christy says
Another fantastic website for free workouts is fitnessblender.com. They offer hundreds of full length workouts for free, and you can filter them by difficulty level, duration, and body area focus. There is also a calendar option if you register (for free) that allows you to schedule your workouts every day. They also offer amazing workout programs at a very reasonable prices: usually an eight week program is about $15, and you can reuse it as many times as you want. I’ve been using fitness blender for about a year now and will never go back to the paid subscription sites I used to use.
Ashana says
Coursera.org has several
Kristen says
First, I’d like to say I love your logo. It’s simple yet very eye catching ☺ Second, this is a great post. Thank you for sharing all of these great resources!
kirah says
Is there anything for CNA?
Lauren says
My husband loves using Khan Academy! I am not sure of all the courses they offer, but I do know it has a variety of topics for free. I am definitely going to check out the Craftsy and Skillshare courses though! Thank you for the advice!