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Huat ah! The Way to Make Money - by Learning!

Gong Xi Gong Xi! Chinese New Year is coming up, and most of us are filling or anticipating red packets, cooking for family, or… planning a more subdued celebration with the pandemic still looming.

But if you’re looking to get some cash this New Year, it’s best not to rely on those hong baos. Instead, invest in some good learning that will net you a better salary or even a different income source in the long run.

We’re talking about things like…

1. Investment Courses

Well, this is quite obvious. We may have started out “investing” in a piggy bank which held some of your allowance, but as adults some basic investment knowledge is a must. Not only will it help you manage your money, you’ll also learn what to avoid or which offers seem too good to be true.

Whether or not you intend to go into investing as a career, a grounding in Accounting and Finance will stand you in good stead for your personal finances. At the very least, you won’t be losing out any more red packet money, but saving it!

2. Improving existing skills

Everyone dreads the nosy relative who asks how much everyone makes the reunion dinner. While you could avoid the question through social isolation, a better option is to have a paycheck you wouldn’t be ashamed to talk about (though of course, you don’t need to mention it if you don’t want to).

Net that raise by improving your job performance through a training course or diploma. This could be for a specific field, such as Kubernetes or Cybersecurity, or acquiring vital soft skills to better navigate your career or provide better customer service.

3. Getting a side business

Everyone has a friend or two who now runs an Etsy shop or does freelance consulting. Join these entrepreneurs by learning how to start your own business, or maybe taking your hobby to a professional level.

Others have decided to learn new languages, from Chinese to Japanese to French, to get an edge in the market. There’s even the cooking route; now you can learn how to be a hawker instead of relying on dubious family genealogy.

So while you scroll through new year’s greetings, scroll through some learning options as well. You’ll be surprised at what wealth awaits from grasping a single chance!