8 Places To Take FREE Online Courses From During the MCO
- By CompareHero.my
- July 23, 2021
While there are numerous ways to upgrade your skills, currently, you might be looking for things you can do right from where you are. Fortunately, the Internet has an unending list of places you can learn new skills from, and here are some of them.
Take note that all these courses are free for the basic levels at least, although there may be paid options for more advanced ones.
Contents
1. Coursera
You’ve probably already heard of this one before but if you haven’t, then you’ll be glad we told you about it! Coursera has hundreds of free courses from renowned universities all over the world.
You’ll find courses from pretty much any field, and each one typically runs for a few weeks. Each course will provide you with the learning material from time to time , so you can learn at your own pace. However, you have to take some simple tests every now and then to ensure you’re able to follow the course.
At the end of the course, most universities will issue you a letter stating you’ve completed the course. You have the option of getting a proper certificate with the university’s seal for USD50. But even if you choose to not get the full certificate, you can still list this course down as one of your accomplishments.
Website: https://www.coursera.org/
2. edX Online Learning
This is the product of a joint effort between Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Similar to Coursera, you will also find a ton of free courses here on just about anything.
And besides the usual academic stuff, edX also has courses on design, art and other creative fields. You can take more than one course at once, just like with Coursera. So, knock yourself out and enjoy the learning!
Website: https://www.edx.org/
Similar to the above two, SkillShare contains a world of free courses on various subjects. When we checked, we found out that there were thousands of students enrolled in each course.
The courses here, however, are different from Coursera and edX Learning in that they’re much shorter. Each course will have a series of videos for you to watch, and each video will just be a few minutes long. All in all, you might just end up spending an hour or two to complete a course.
SkillShare also has a premium feature, where you get access to even more courses for a fee. You can try Premium for free for a month, and you can opt out later if you find that it’s not your thing.
Website: https://www.skillshare.com/browse/free-classes
4. Duolingo
They say learning a new language is like getting an asset, and indeed it is. By learning a new language, you get to learn more about other cultures, make new friends and open yourself up to more job opportunities.
It can take awhile for you to pick up a new language, but it doesn’t always have to be difficult. This is where DuoLingo comes into the picture. It’s an app that you can use on the go, so it’s super convenient. There are hundreds of languages available on it, and you can learn as many as you’d like. You can also use Duolingo on your computer, if you find that more comfortable.
There are planned lessons you can follow, and you can practice by listening to how words are pronounced or see how they’re written.
So, just with one app on your phone, you might be able to converse with the locals at your next overseas holiday destination (post-pandemic, of course).
Website: https://www.duolingo.com/
App: Search ‘Duolingo’ in the App Store/ Play Store
5. OpenWHO by WHO
Speaking of pandemic, that’s the one word the whole world has been mentioning since last year. And while we all wish that it would just go away, learning how to prevent future outbreaks like this is also important.
If this is something that would interest you, OpenWHO by the World Health Organization (WHO) has many free courses on how we can provide good healthcare globally, how we can protect each other from future outbreaks, and how we should react when a pandemic happens.
After you complete a course, you’ll get a certificate from WHO. Sounds good, yes?
Website: https://openwho.org/
6. LinkedIn Learning
Besides picking up skills that can serve as hobbies, it’s also good to constantly upskill yourself as an employee or or a jobseeker. LinkedIn Learning offers several courses by trained instructors that can make yourself more marketable to an employer/future employer.
Be it on how to use Office or how to communicate more effectively in your workplace, you can take any of these courses easily to better equip yourself. You’ll get the first month for free, but your employer can purchase a package for the whole company at a cheaper price after that.
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
7. HomeSchool Piano
We’ve been talking about how you can take up academic and other skilled courses, but why not pick up a musical instrument?
In HomeSchool Piano, you can get 30 days of piano lessons for free. If you decide to continue to the next level after that, you’ll need to pay a fee.
But hey, at least you’ll be able to learn the basics and who knows, you might be able to teach yourself after that!
Website: https://homeschoolpiano.com/
8. Craftsy (previously known as Bluprint)
Are you someone who likes to DIY everything? We know how satisfying it can be to make something from scratch with your hands. If this is you, head over to Craftsy where you can learn how to make almost anything, such as furniture, jewellery, home equipment, and so on.
Once you enter the website, select the ‘Free’ box on the left side of the page and you’ll see all the free courses that are being offered.
Happy making!
Website: https://www.craftsy.com/all-classes/
There are so many more online courses we would have loved to include, but maybe we’ll do a part two next time.
On a separate note, if you’re planning to change up some things at home during this MCO, here are some tips you can follow:
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What Are Robo-advisors And Can You Trust Them?
- By CompareHero.my
- July 22, 2021
Investing is important.
And you’ll probably lose it if you see another article talking about it.
But the thought of it scares you. After all, nothing is guaranteed when you invest except that you’ll be taking some losses. And you don’t even have an inkling of where to start learning about the flashing green and red lights on the screen.
Everything just feels so overwhelming.
If this sounds familiar, a Robo-advisor might just be the missing piece in your puzzle.
Contents
How do Robo-advisors work?
Thanks to the brilliant minds who constantly push boundaries, we now have a digital platform that uses algorithms to automate investment portfolios. In simple terms, it’s a computerized portfolio manager.
Once you’ve given this robot a set of instructions based on your investing goals and risk tolerance, the robot will do the rest.
Benefits of using a robo-advisor
- Passive investing – For first-time investors, robo-advisors are especially useful because you can have your money invested already while learning more about the financial world. Or, if you’re someone who is tremendously busy with your day job and have little to no time for research, monitoring, or rebalancing, robo-advisors are a great idea too.
- Diversification – Being diversified helps you spread your risk. Utilize robo-advisors to help you invest in a certain market while you dip into other types of assets.
- Reducing emotions – One of the worst mistakes a long-term investor can make is to panic sell during a market correction or a bear market. But having said that, many investors still do because it always seems like it’s going lower. With a robo-advisor, however, it’s going to help you dollar cost average into your preferred asset. Robots don’t have emotions, hence reducing the downside of emotion-driven decisions to buy or sell on market sentiment.
- Low fees – Gone are the days where we have to pay upwards of 5% to portfolio managers just to help us buy stocks. Robo-advisors generally have less than 1% of management fees per year. It makes it much easier to turn a profit even when the market is not doing well.
Cons of using a Robo-advisor
- Rigidity – Robo-advisors do not have the ability to completely personalize your preferences. They run on specific codes, which means when you input your budget, risk tolerance, etc., the most it can do is to place you in a classification.
Secondly, because market crashes are so rare, robo-advisors can often leave you vulnerable to some other risks if you’re not careful. These robots do not have the ability to adapt to black swans and first-time events. Juxtaposed to that, you’ll also lose out on exponential gains during a market rally.
Your financial advisor, on the other hand, is human. That means they can give you guidance, opinions, ease your fear during market turbulence, give you confidence, and tweak their strategy according to market conditions.
- Transparency – If you’re a technical and savvy investor who wants to know the strategies and criteria behind the curtains, you might not get that. Generally, the most you can get is the reports and the expectancy of a certain strategy.
How do you choose the perfect robo-advisor?
There are quite a number of robo-advisors available in Malaysia now such as StashAway, MyTHEO, BEST, Wahed Invest, and Raiz. Each of them caters to distinct investors using their proprietary technology. With that, here are a few considerations among them:
- StashAway and MyTHEO: Both of these robo-advisors focus on ETFs, which gives you exposure to global markets and further diversifies your portfolio.
- BEST: Caters to investors who specifically look to invest in Shariah-compliant unit trust funds.
- Wahed Invest: Caters to investors who specifically look to invest in Shariah-compliant securities in the global market.
- Raiz: Invests in local ASN funds. Caters to investors who do not have huge amounts of money.
Robo-advisors are meant to bring the convenience factor into your investing routine. It works best if you want easy, simple, automated, and low-cost help. However, when compared with professional advisors who have spent years studying the markets, the advantages might fall short.
Financial matters are extremely personal, and we all want different things. If the robo-advisor can give you what you’re looking for, by all means, go for it; but if not, you can still find a certified financial advisor for just a small bump in the fees.
Disclaimer: Neither CompareHero.my nor the content on it is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. The content on CompareHero.my is for general information purposes only and is not intended to be personalised investment advice or a solicitation for the purchase or sale of securities.
Compargo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and/or its affiliates cannot and do not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. CompareHero.my may receive compensation from the brands or services mentioned on this website.
If you’re new to investing but you’d like to know more, you can check out all our articles on investment that cover the basics to the more advanced stuff:
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10 Personal Finance Instagram Accounts You Should Follow
- By CompareHero.my
- July 21, 2021
Understandably, not everyone is financially savvy enough to understand how to go about this. Fortunately, you can get tips from those who are well-versed in finance. Or, you can also take the advice of those who have practiced good financial habits.
On that note, we’ve put together a list of Instagram accounts you can follow for financial hacks.
Contents
1. @thesimplesummalaysia
View this post on Instagram
The Simple Sum started their page less than a year ago at the time of writing, but they’ve already amassed a huge following. On their account, they put up graphics containing bite-sized information that is easy to digest.
If you click the link in their bio, you’ll be taken to their website which has full-fledged finance articles. These articles are written based on real-life experiences, so you might be able to relate to many of them!
Why you should follow them: Bite-sized info, financial articles
2. @her.duit
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Standing at 6500 followers, Her Duit by Michelle Chin aims to help women manage their finances better. If you head over to the account, you’ll be greeted with a very eye-catching feed. The posts on the account cover several topics, ranging from how women can be more financially empowered to activities they can do during the MCO.
On their Instagram Stories, they have templates you can use for financial planning as well as links to podcasts by the founder.
Why you should follow them: Financial hacks for women, podcasts
3. @bfmradio
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You might know BFM as a radio station in Malaysia, which is true. But BFM also puts out content related to finance for the average Malaysian every now and then.
They have podcasts everyday, and snippets of these podcasts are posted on their Instagram. You’ll get to hear real-life stories
Why you should follow them: Real-life tips & stories, podcasts
4. @comparehero.my
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Oh hey, that’s us! Besides the services that we provide on our website, we also work to educate Malaysians on all things finance through social media.
If you go to our Instagram page, you’ll find short and sweet posts on a whole variety of things—from what type of credit card you should get to how to choose the right insurance.
Why you should follow them: Bite-sized info on a variety of financial info, articles
5. @sav.finance
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Sav Finance is based in Singapore, but all the information that they post can be followed by anyone in any part of the world. Their account also covers a lot of day-to-day issues that many can relate to, such as how to pay for your house, what to do if you want to quit your job, and so on.
They’re also open to taking questions, so if you’d like to know more about something, feel free to shoot them a message!
Why you should follow them: Covers day- to-day financial aspects
6. @dearduit
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Run by Nurul Yahi, @dearduit gives you a glimpse of how a mother of two manages her finances. On her page, Nurul shares tips on not just finance, but how she takes care of her mental health during this time.
She also has panel discussions and podcasts you can tune into if you’d like to know more. Besides these, Nurul has a blog where she writes finance articles (link can be found in her bio).
Why you should follow them: Money tips, panel discussions, podcasts, articles
7. @stashaway_my
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StashAway focuses on educating Malaysians on investment. So, you’ll find information on how to invest, when to invest, and so on.
But besides this, there’s also a wealth of information on general finance, such as: how to achieve financial freedom, how to prepare for retirement, how to spend your bonus, and so on.
You can also listen to podcasts on their website (link is in their bio).
Why you should follow them: Investment tips, podcasts
8. @makeover.life.debt
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This account is really interesting because you’ll find tips on how to save money through…food! Here, you’ll find out what meals you can cook to save more money, how to meal prep for the week, and even how to grow your own food!
But that’s not all. They also share apps that you download for budgeting, templates to plan your expenses and so on.
Why you should follow them: Food tips, financial apps and templates
9. @surayaror
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Run by Suraya Zainudin, this account is catered to Malaysians who want to know anything about personal finance. Suraya shares bite-sized info, book recommendations, articles on her blog and other money tips.
There’s a variety of things that go on in this account—enough to keep you engaged for a long time!
Why you should follow them: Financial tips, recommendations, articles
10. @thatsimplepotato
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This is one of the smaller accounts, but don’t be fooled! We found this account pretty interesting as it’s catered to students and fresh graduates! Financial education should start from a young age, so if you fall under this group, this one’s perfect for you.
Here, you’ll find ways on how young people can save more and manage their expenses better. There are pretty journals and templates you can use to make your budgeting more fun.
Why you should follow them: Tips for students and fresh grads
If you enjoyed this article, check out other money tips that you’ll love below:
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CTOS Digital Has Debuted on Bursa Malaysia with a 60% Increase In IPO
- By CompareHero.my
- July 19, 2021
If you haven’t already heard, credit reporting agency CTOS Digital Bhd made their debut on Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market earlier today. Although their initial offer price (IPO) was RM1.10, the stock had opened at RM1.50.
However, as of 11am, it had surged to RM1.76—an increase of 60%. CTOS Digital’s IPO is said to be the largest one in Bursa Malaysia this year. The stock is also currently the most active stock traded on Bursa. Besides that, this share price is said to have exceeded Kenanga Research’s target price, which is at RM1.40.
The Malaysian Reserve reported that CTOS Digital’s listing has a public issue of 200 million new shares and as well as an offer-for-sale of 900 million existing shares. These shares are priced at RM1.10. CTOS Digital has raised RM1.2 billion through the listing this year, and from this, RM220 million are through new shares alone.
From the RM220 million that is coming from new IPO proceeds, CTOS Digital will use:
- RM155.2 million to repay any bank borrowings
- RM59 million for investments and the acquisition of target companies
- RM6.1 million to pay for listing fees and expenses
Even before the listing today, CTOS Digital had recorded an increase in earning and revenue. For the first six months this year, they made a net profit of RM19.53—it was RM15.62 million last year. Revenue, on the other hand, increased from RM64.73 million to RM75.80 million.
The group CEO, Dennis Martin, told the Bloomberg Market that the company wants to add value within the Malaysian market and region, including through merger and acquisition deals.
If you found all of this interesting but you’re new to how the stock market works, you can check out the article below:
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VISA vs MasterCard: Is there any difference?
- By CompareHero.my
When it comes to applying for a new credit card, one of the questions is, “Which one do I choose? VISA or Mastercard?” Is there a reason for choosing one of the two? And, what should you be looking for when making this decision?
Credit cards are one of the most convenient tools we can use for our everyday finances. Most cards even look the same—a piece of plastic with some words, some numbers, and a chip in the middle. But apart from the appearance and the logo, each card actually does come with its distinct benefits and costs.
With that, let’s clear up the confusion between VISA and Mastercard once and for all, and you can decide which one fits your style better.
Contents
1. Benefits of a VISA card
VISA credit cards come in three tiers: standard (classic, gold, and platinum), Signature, and Infinite. The standard tier comes with a set of basic features such as security, concierge, and ATM access. While the higher tiers offer a wider variety of protections, all three tiers do have the standard zero liability policy, roadside dispatch, and auto rental collision damage waiver.
The difference really shows when they are compared in terms of benefits and perks. There actually aren’t any benefits to the VISA standard but the VISA Signature and Infinite cards do provide lost luggage, trip delay reimbursements, airport lounge access, and purchase security, all of which are important during travelling.
As for VISA Infinite, it’s more targeted towards high spenders who care about and can afford luxuries. You can compare the details for Signature and Infinite on their website.
2. Benefits of a Mastercard
Similarly, Mastercard also has three tiers: Standard, World, and World Elite. The standard tier is pretty much the same as VISA’s in its security, concierge, and ATM access. However, the upper tiers of Mastercard definitely offer better perks than VISA’s.
For example, Mastercard World and World Elite come with the SPG Gold access, which consists of more and higher quality hotels than VISA’s Hilton Program. Not only that, but Mastercard World Elite also comes with free lounge access at more than 600 airports around the world, as well as discounts on high-end services like private jets.
One of the exclusive benefits that Mastercard has is its Priceless Cities program, which gives the cardholder access to incredible experiences in cities around the world.
3. Difference between using a VISA and a Mastercard
In actual day-to-day usage, there’s hardly any difference, certainly not one that will make you reconsider the choice.
You can use almost everywhere both VISA and Mastercard in the globe as long as they accept card payments, either in-store or online. It’s rare that you’ll find a retailer who accepts one but not the other, hence if you’re looking for a simple credit card, either one will do the job.
4. Standard protection
If your credit card is used to make unauthorised charges, you can always get on a phone call with your issuer and have the transactions reversed. In such scenarios, both of these credit card companies will be the one who bears the cost.
Auto rental collision damage waiver
If you rent a car using a VISA or a Mastercard and get into a collision, you are actually eligible to receive collision insurance for the vehicle. Don’t confuse this with the car rental company’s collision insurance because it’s a completely separate scheme. To claim this waiver, you should decline the insurance from the car rental company and pay for the entire transaction using your credit card.
There might be exclusions and nuances to this, so do check out their terms and conditions before relying solely on it. (VISA, Mastercard)
Extended warranties
Most purchases you make using your VISA or Mastercard will be awarded additional refund protections and warranties. But, it is subject to what kind of item and the company you buy it from.
Which one should you choose?
For most people, it really doesn’t matter which one you choose because they offer similar security levels and benefits. VISA does have a higher market share but Mastercard is not that far away either and both of these companies have roughly 33 million merchants around the world.
Unless you’re in the upper class, Mastercard does provide just a tad better in terms of benefits, but even then, there are a lot more perks from the issuing banks themselves. If you want to get into the details, look at the annual fee waivers, cashback promotions, sign-up bonuses, cash rebates, air miles, travel insurance, and you’ll find your answer there.
