Education

How to: A Career in the NHS

Angela Manning Education , , , ,
How to: A Career in the NHS

For those of you that are particularly interested in a career in either social or public health, it is important to establish what area you would like to apply to, and ways in which you can help achieve this. Today we discuss some routes into the NHS, as well as different opportunities you can take to both research job positions and front line roles like physiotherapy jobs.

A perfect chance to discover the multitude of careers available within the NHS is to attend one of their ‘career fairs’. Before you attend, it is advisable to research different roles and where they are within the fair to make your experience more worthwhile- you can maximise your time talking to people instead of trying to find the different locations and possible jobs.

Similarly, the NHS suggests it is a great opportunity to practise marketing yourself in front of NHS representatives, whilst also making useful contacts. The importance of networking within the NHS is really high and brings about many advantages. Having a network of contacts allows for the sharing of information easily with others, whilst also gaining you access to current knowledge. It is essential for a successful career in the NHS!

Your connections within the health care system are especially crucial in getting work experience before you apply. Unlike many other jobs, a career in the NHS can be very stressful and so it is required to have experienced the environment in which you will be working, none the less to see if you can manage it. Of course, there are some roles that are less active with patients and are almost ‘behind the scenes’, such as research jobs, or dealing with the finances of the NHS but work experience can help promote you amongst the sea of applications.

While many people choose to complete A Levels and then apply for a degree, there is the option of an apprenticeship for those aged 16 and over. Not only is it structured training where you will be with an employer, but it leads to nationally recognised qualifications that gives you access to a myriad of different careers. An apprenticeship is a great way to enter the career path for the NHS as you also get paid at the same time as working. Therefore, you are receiving an education, gaining invaluable experience for the future, whilst also earning a living. Ultimately, a career in the NHS is undoubtedly a stressful job, but one of the most rewarding as you are personally involved in the well-being of those around you, and are often saving lives.

How to Select a Major that Will Ensure Post-Grad Success

Angela Manning Education , , ,
How to Select a Major that Will Ensure Post-Grad Success

An education is a terrible thing to waste. Unfortunately, though more and more young people are headed to college now than ever before, a good portion of them struggle to find a degree that suits them. Indeed, anywhere between 20 to 50 percent of students enter college not knowing which major they want to specialize in. And roughly 75 percent of college students change their major at some point. Given how much uncertainty there is around selecting a major –– and how expensive college has become –– it’s imperative that students study a subject that will set them up for success for years to come. Here are a few tips how young people can do just that:

Try New Things

College is all about discovery. So don’t feel pressured to make a decision on your major the second you arrive on campus. Rather, it’s often a better play to take general education courses as a freshman to help determine where your interests lie. Learn how to handle ACD blood tubes or how to write a poem in iambic pentameter, or whatever grabs your attention. You never know what’ll strike a chord with you until you try it. Note, there’s no such thing as “useless knowledge;” explore and investigate until you find a class that speaks to you.

Don’t Listen to Others

If your father is a psychologist, and your mother is a psychologist, and both of their parents were also psychologists, you may feel some pressure to study psychology. The truth is though, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. As a young adult, you owe it to yourself to study what you feel passionate about. Don’t let friends and family members push you down a path you don’t want to follow. You could regret it for the rest of your life if you let this happen.

Plan for the Future, Today

There are a few majors, like business, accounting, etc. that most people consider “safe majors.” In other words the conventional wisdom holds, if you decide to pursue a business degree, you’ll never have trouble getting a job or making money. In reality though, business majors can struggle to find employment like anyone else. At the end of the day, which degree you pursue is less important than how you plan on using it. The most sought-after degree in the world won’t help you get ahead if you yourself don’t know how you’re going to leverage it.

The Bottom Line

Choosing a degree is an important decision for your development as a professional and a person. Still, you shouldn’t be afraid to switch majors should you feel the need. It’s better to identify the perfect major after much deliberation than to stubbornly stick with a school of study you don’t love. Keep that in mind when it’s time to make the “big call” for yourself.

The 5 Step Guide for Installing Elementor Pro and GeneratePress Premium on a Fresh WordPress

Angela Manning Business, Education , , , ,
The 5 Step Guide for Installing Elementor Pro and GeneratePress Premium on a Fresh WordPress

Creating a beautiful site on WordPress is relatively easy these days with all of the amazing theme templates and page builders. With so many options to choose from, it’s hard to find a solid ground to start on. As you start to use more and more themes, you start to see how roughly some of them are constructed, and you quickly start running into issues with your custom themes. That often results in a silly hole that was overlooked in the code that needs updated.

To avoid such pitfalls, people have been leaning to a few major theme and page builder combinations to keep site speed up and uselessjunk to a minimum. The combo that has seen some major success for its ease of use is the GeneratePress theme with Elementor Pro as the page builder since GP Premium has Elementor Pro import templates to kickstart your project.

It’s easy to use, but getting it going might have you running in circles. So to help you get your theme and page builder up and running the right way, we put together a 5 step guide that takes you through activating and installing Elementor Pro and GeneratePress on a fresh install of WordPress.

1 – Add GeneratePress

Let’s start by adding the GeneratePress theme to the fresh install of WordPress. The reason being, GP Premium uses the free version of GeneratePress to unlock your GP Premium, so we need to start there.

Navigate to Appearance > Themes

Onces you are there, click on the “AddNew” button in the top part of the page next to the “Themes” page title.

Type “GeneratePress” in the search bar and hit enter. It should be the very first result.

Click the “Install” button, and when prompted, activate the theme.

2 – Install GP Premium Plugin

If you haven’t already, make your way over to GeneratePress and pick up a premium membership. It gets you tons of crazy stuff and endless uses for under $40, so that’s awesome for developers.

Once you complete the purchase, you should automatically navigate to your account where you can view the details. Download the GP Premium plugin and copy the key.

Now that we have the GP Premium plugin and key, we are going to go back to the wp-admin dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New and click the “Upload Plugin” button at the top.

Now that you have access to the “Choose File” button, you can click the box and add the file to the upload, or just drag the .zip file to the “Choose File” button. Click the “install now” button, and activate the plugin.

**If you try to upload this plugin on the theme upload menu, you will get a failure due to missing style.css message because it’s an premium activation plugin for the free theme**

3 – Activating GeneratePress

Once you have the plugin activated, it’s time to use that key you copied.

Navigate back to the plugin menu, and look for the “GP Premium” plugin.

Once you find it, click on the highlighted “configure” button, and it will take you to a screen that has the activation box. Simply paste your code in that box and hit the “activate” button.

Boom! You’re halfway there.

4 – Installing Elementor Pro

Now that we have that theme all set up and ready to rock, let’s set up our page builder.  Find the best website page builders for WordPress really comes down to personal preference, but lately there has been a big shift toward Elementor. The price is so right for unlimited developers and single sites, and at $200 and $50 respectively, it’s a steal

So if you haven’t already, head on over to Elementor and set up an account. Once you have your account, you need to download the latest .zip they provide you, and while you are there make sure to copy the key.

Now let’s head back to the wp-admin and navigate to Plugins >  Add New again. Click the “Upload Plugin” button at the top, and drag the Elementor .zip to your “Choose File” button. Then click the “Install Now” button. When prompted, activate the plugin.

5 – Activating Elementor Pro

You’re almost there now that you have clicked activate. When you return to the wp-admin dashboard, you will see a warning about elementor pro not being fully activated and it needing to install another plugin. Click the button and let it go threw the install. Activate the plugin when you are prompted to.

Now that you have both parts of elementor activated, you will see an Elementor icon on your wp-admin dashboard under the settings icon. Navigate to Elementor > License and paste the key into the activation box then click “activate.”

Conclusion

That’s all it takes to get your WordPress up and running with GeneratePress and Elementor Pro on a fresh install. This works every instance on WordPress, but if you have content already on the site, it might change or remove it. If you are revamping a site with this setup, make sure you have a backup ready incase it breaks more than you expect and you need to go back.

What do you think of the GeneratePress and Elementor Pro combo? Do you like another page builder and theme combo better? Let us know in the comments below.

How Australians are getting ahead with government funded education

Angela Manning Education , ,
How Australians are getting ahead with government funded education

Getting a good education has always been considered important to ensure you get the best possible start in life. Unfortunately in many cases it is still difficult to obtain the necessary funds to further your education and improve your career prospects.

This is why it is important to be aware of what services you can access and how new regulations may affect you.

Keeping Up To Date With The Latest Changes

2017 was a year that focused on child care subsidies. This was a great move to help any Australian parent get ahead with job prospects.

The basis of the reforms revolved around making child care more affordable which allows parents to return to work.

But this approach does more than just help parents to return to work. There is evidence that funded pre-school can improve the ability of children to learn.

This is likely to remain a hot topic as many other developed countries offer significantly more preschool funding and it does affect the long term prospects of children.

But it’s not just young children that are getting ahead through the increase in investment by the government.

2017 saw funding debates for schools although it was pleasing to note that Australia was ranked 10th out of 72 countries on the PISA collaborative problem solving test.

Higher Education And Adult Needs

One of the key differences that are really helping Australians to get ahead is the introduction of grants for work-ready courses. You’ll need to prove you’re eligible by answering a few simple questions; you’ll then get funded to complete a course that will give you all the skills you need to start working in your chosen field.

This is a fantastic way for you to retrain and start improving your life prospects while continuing to complete your existing job.

If you’re in education or have already left but want to do more with your life this is the way to go; especially if the grant pays for all or most of your tuition fees.

The Government & Education

The government has gradually taken more of an interest in education and the funding available. This is simply an acknowledgement of the importance of education.

While every state has complete control over registration and regulations of schools in their area the funding of these schools is a shared responsibility with the government.

In reality the government is the major funder of non-government schools while the individual states are the majority funders for the government schools.

This is helping to keep schools alive and operational in towns across the country.

Getting Ahead

The government spending on schools has increased over the last 10 years. In order to keep the system fair a new funding model has been created to ensure government and non-government schools have the funding they need to provide the best possible education.

This is the first step for every Australian looking to get ahead.

Adults looking to retrain or further their education must check out which grants are available to them locally; it can make a significant difference to the cost of getting ahead.

How to Care for a New Kitten

Angela Manning Education , , , ,
How to Care for a New Kitten

It is always great to welcome a new member to your family. And when it comes to kittens, raising them is pretty similar to raising children. If you provide them with proper care and training while they are still young, they will grow up to be healthy and well-adjusted adult cats. So, if you and your family have recently adopted a kitten, make sure you follow these tips religiously.

Remember, this is not an adult cat, so don’t treat it that way

Just like humans, kittens will have different care requirements while they are small than when they are a full-grown cat. Consider the four stages of development:

1. Less than 8 weeks of age

Kittens at this age should ideally still be with their mother and littermates, since they are unable to regulate their own body temperatures and rely on one another in order to transfer heat and survive. Not to mention that they are also still developing their vision-leg coordination. If you adopt an orphan kitty at this age, have in mind that it will require special care that includes bottle-feeding and helping it pee and poop. If you don’t have any experience with this, it is a good idea to consult a vet for specific advice and instructions.

2. 8 to 11 weeks of age

These kittens should be eating kitten diet that has to be energy-dense, easily digestible and rich in protein – such as balanced Royal Canin cat food for kittens. Besides food, there are other changes that will occur during this period. The kitten will begin to develop complex motor skills such as jumping, running, playing and exploring, so have in mind that it should be under constant supervision. Set boundaries in order to keep it safe.

3. 2 to 4 months of age

This is a phase when the kitten grows rapidly and has almost three times more energy than adult cats (so basically this is their puberty). It will need either three or four meals a day during this time and those meals should be at least 30% high-quality protein.

4. 4 to 6 months of age

This is when kittens reach their adolescence and sexual maturity. Consider having your kitten spayed or neutered before this stage in order to avoid accidental litters and territorial spraying.

Reward good behavior and socialize

Just like with children, what kittens learn during their kittenhood will affect how they will interact with other animals and people when they get older. It is your job to show your kitten that this world is a wonderful place. Pet it frequently, place it in its litter box after meals as well as after play sessions to teach it to use it, get it used to grooming and combing, allow it to experience different surfaces for walking, give it objects to explore such as paper bags and boxes, make noise, play loud music, have friends over and tell them to give it treats, do not allow it to scratch or bite during play, expose it to other cats and animals after being vaccinated, reward friendly behavior and always be patient. You can even teach it to perform tricks.

Preventive care

In order to make sure your kitten has good health, provide it with preventative care. Schedule its first vet appointment within a week after getting it. Early and frequent vet visits will help your kitten socialize with the vet and your vet to establish a baseline for its health. Furthermore, ask the vet about worms and other parasites and have it de-wormed if it is necessary. Take care of fleas and administer topical flea preventatives as soon as your kitten is 8 weeks old. And finally, make sure it gets all the needed vaccines.

Lair

Your kitten’s new home is supposed to be warm and cozy. Choose a nice, secluded room for it to adjust to its new life. Open the carrier and place food, water bowls, toys and a litter box nearby. Avoid giving it toys that are small and can choke your kitten. Small stuffed animals are the best toys. Observe it while it is playing, but also while it is resting, because that is when you will see is whether it ready for exploring (it saunters) or is it still adjusting to its new home (it dashes to the carrier super fast).

If you have some more useful tips you would like to share, feel free to leave your comment below.

Nail That Job With These 5 Handy Interview Tips

Angela Manning Education , , , ,
Nail That Job With These 5 Handy Interview Tips

So you have applied for that job that you wanted, now you have the interview coming up, it is time to start working on your interview technique. The first thing to remember here is that you are halfway there and that you wouldn’t have been invited to an interview unless you looked the part on paper. This should give you enough confidence to know that as long as you give a great job interview, you have a very good chance of landing the role. The interview is your chance to show who you are and what you are about and regardless of whether you are trying to find a new legal job, a new sales role or a position in a supermarket, you can ensure that you nail it with these 5 tips.

Take Your Time

Many people rush an answer, assuming that they have to think quick and answer at speed. This is not the case at all and it makes far more sense to pause for a moment to think once a question has been asked. Don’t take too long, 5-10 seconds will be enough to collect your thoughts, and formulate your answer. Employers will never mark you down for taking a moment to think.

Eye Contact

Regardless of the position that you are interested in, showing confidence will be a large factor when it comes to getting that job. Keeping eye contact when listening and answering is the body language of someone who is confident so make sure that you don’t look down or avert your gaze.

Dress For The Job

The clothing which you choose is highly important and as they say, dress for the job you want, not the one which you have. Dressing smartly can be empowering and make you feel better and more confident in an interview, it will also demonstrate to the employer that you mean business!

No Waffle

When giving answers it is vital that you are direct and succinct, simple answers of one or two sentences won’t cut the mustard, but neither will rambling on unnecessarily. Practice some interview questions prior to your appointment, and work hard on keeping your answers brief, factual and in a way that answers the question directly. Practice will make you feel far more confident once the interview actually arrives.

Learn a Little

Whilst your potential employer wants to know about you and your character, they also want to see how much you really want the job. To let  them know just how serious you really are, you should do some homework on the company prior to the interview. You don’t need to be an expert in the company, but understand key aspect of the business, as well as they values and their goals, will let the interviewer know that you are diligent and passionate when it comes to landing this role. A little bit of pre-interview research could go a very long way.

Don’t worry, plan well, follow these tips and you can go get that job that you want so much.

Why Is It Mandatory for Children to Study Science?

Angela Manning Education , , , ,
Why Is It Mandatory for Children to Study Science?

Science is an integral part of our life. Even if you try you can’t remove Science completely from your life. It is there all around us in the form of smartphones, internet, healthcare, electricity etc. Children are attracted towards practical Science experiments and often look forward to the Science practical class in school. Separating your kids from science is an impossible job. Parents understand the importance of learning Science as it is the very foundation of modern life and often hire the services of a private Science tutor to get their kids a little exposure to the scientific concepts. Following are the major reasons highlighting the fact that studying Science is essential for kids.

Fuels Curiosity

Science is a fuel for the curious brain of your kids. Children tend to ask more questions about what is happening around them and science helps them to get their answers. Children are natural explorers and Science provides them a lot of material to explore, investigate and learn. Moreover, unlike other subjects, Science brings the desire for discovery and innovation in kids at an early age, which is essential for the overall development of their brain. When children study about the lives of great scientists they get inspired and motivated to succeed in life, no matter what hurdle comes.

Develops the ability to think

For those who have studied Science know that in science they think of an idea or a hypothesis to explain a particular situation and then work towards approving or disapproving the hypothesis. The one which gets approved becomes a concrete solution and a fact. This way of thinking can be applied by a kid in his/her daily life problems as well. Moreover, when the kids grow up and join a job; they will be facing multiple issues. The hypothesis and research approach help them to deal with and take care of the issues smoothly.

Science helps to study other subjects

A considerable part of Science, especially Physics, contains Mathematics. Hence, a child who is interested in Science will develop good mathematical skills as well. It happens naturally. Moreover, Science even tells the difference between the old age and the modern times; thus encouraging the kids to learn History. It is obvious that whenever children study the life of a great Scientist, they are indirectly learning history as they will be studying the events that happened in that period of time. Science helps your kid to develop great writing skills by pinning down a good lab report is not an easy task.

Making kids future ready

 

We can see that our parents are not that comfortable in using modern gadgets. This is because science wasn’t that much developed in their period. Hence, studying Science makes your kids ready to take on the future. Technological development is happening at a rapid pace and without studying Science children cannot adapt themselves to the changes in technology. Science helps to build a better understanding of what is happening around us.

Conclusion

It is pretty essential for the parents to encourage their kids to study Science and appreciate their achievements in the same. Asking kids how and why questions are the best way to make their curious mind prosper and develop and without Science it is almost impossible to satisfy a child’s curious mind.

Ruchi gupta is a writing enthusiast who has penned down a number of articles along with numerous tech , business and health blog posts over the last decade. She is a freelance blogger.

The Importance of College on Your Path to Career Success

Angela Manning Education , , ,
The Importance of College on Your Path to Career Success

Do you have a dream job that you’ve always wanted to pursue? If so, the importance of college can’t be understated in helping you get there.

Have you been wondering whether or not going to college is the right choice for you?

No matter what your career goals a college education will be invaluable in giving you the prerequisite knowledge to be successful in your field.

Perhaps you are worried about the cost of the tuition and whether or not you will get a good job after graduation to get a good return on your investment.

If you are on the fence about college, here are some tips that will show you the importance of college and help you take the plunge into higher education.

1. Get a Fresh Start and Gain Independence

Going to college is a good time to start new and positive habits that will take you down a successful path. If you had a difficult time in high school, college is the perfect time to start over, especially if you choose to go to a college far away from home.

Meet new people who don’t have any preconceived notions about who you are and what you can do. College can be the time when you transform yourself into exactly who you want to become so that you can eventually land your dream job.

College can open up a world of fresh opportunities.

If you have a goal to see different parts of the country or simply to get out of the town in which you’ve lived all your life, then going to college in a new location is the perfect first step.

2. Make Invaluable Connections

While one should always value the friendships one currently has, going to college is a good way to meet new and interesting people.

Many people meet their lifelong friends at college or even their spouse. The fact is, going to college is bound to help you meet people that will likely have a positive impact on the rest of your life.

You never know how far the people you meet in college will go and knowing them may be an asset someday.

There are many people who can attest to the fact that they landed a job or got out of a difficult situation because someone they knew in college was in a position of influence,

The bottom-line is that making connections and growing your network in college may help you more than you could ever imagine after graduation.

College is also a time where you can get to understand who and what you want to become, as you get a chance to educate yourself and interact with different personalities.

3. Get Involved and Make A Difference

Joining clubs and societies in college will assist you in meeting new people that will help you decide on the path you want to take in life.

Wherever your interests may lie it is a guaranteed that you will find something in college to stimulate it.

If you fancy politics there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved in student government and be the voice of your fellow students.

If you are interested in writing or journalism you could get on the school paper’s writing committee.

Even if student government or writing is not your cup of tea you are sure to find something that is and you will have a chance to participate.

Many stars in sports found their footing in college and then launched their careers.

The wonderful thing about college is that you can get involved in whatever interests you and have fun at the same time.

All the opportunities for advancement both academically and socially make it easy to see the importance of college and why it is an opportunity that you should not pass on.

4. Get Financially Responsible

Have you been craving financial responsibility and freedom?

Well, going to college is the perfect way to get a taste of what it’s like to have to manage and organize your finances.

Sure, you will probably still have your parent’s financial support but when you are in college you are going to have to learn to manage and monitor what you have been given.

College is the perfect time to develop money management skills that will last you a lifetime.

It is also a great time to try to earn on your own by getting a part-time job. In this way, you will at least get a small taste of real-world financial independence.

6. The Importance of College No Matter The Cost

If you are still sitting on the fence because you are worried about how much college will cost then you are not alone.

College tuition has been on the rise for several years. However, while the cost has risen there are still many ways that you can finance college on a budget.

Several scholarships and grants are available to you if you apply early. There are many organizations that are willing to help you finance college so check it out!

You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that you qualify and can get a partial or full scholarship.

Other options to consider if you are on a tight budget is to go to college part-time and find a job.

This might be a bit harder and may make completion a little slower but it is usually well worth it.

Another option for financial assistance is to go to college and get a job on campus. Often faculty need help and many are not averse to employing students in need, to fill vacancies.

Even if you have to be creative in order to get your degree, the payoff is worth any extra effort that you will have to put in to get this life-changing experience.

Final Thoughts

The importance of collegecannott be undervalued. It will help to get you started on the road to success and open your mind to a world of possibilities that you may never have imagined otherwise.

You will meet interesting people who will challenge you to see the world in new ways and you will form a network that will last you a lifetime.

If you would like to get more information about self-improvement then go to our website where we have several articles that will assist you in your goal of becoming the best you can be.

5 Tips for Going Green and Making a Difference in the World

Angela Manning Education, Finance , , , ,
5 Tips for Going Green and Making a Difference in the World

If you want to make a difference in the world by going green, then this article is for you. Click here to discover 5 important tips for going green.

Recent studies show that 50 percent of the trash Americans throw out is recyclable.

Most people have the misconception that going green is difficult and cumbersome. The fact is that being more eco-conscious is an easy process that will not take up a lot of time.

The first place you need to start when trying to go green is your home. There are tons of products on the market geared towards making homes green environment spaces.

The following are some of the things you can do to make our living space more eco-friendly.

1. Go Green By Investing in Efficient Appliances

Homeowners spend thousands of dollars each year to power their living spaces.

If you are looking for ways to go green, you can start by investing in more energy-efficient appliances. When shopping for appliances, be sure to look for the EnergyStar logo.

Appliances with this logo on them have been tested and certified as energy-efficient. While these new appliances may cost more, they will pay for themselves in the long run due to the energy they can help you save.

2. Get a Programmable Thermostat

One of the biggest sources of energy waste in a home is the HVAC unit.

When a unit is allowed to run all day and night, it can cause energy bills to skyrocket. The best way to avoid this problem is by getting a programmable thermostat.

These thermostats allow you to decide what temperature you want your home while you are away. Some of the programmable thermostats on the market allow you to change the temperature settings from a mobile device.

Keeping the HVAC unit off while you are away can save you money and reduce the strain you put on the environment.

3. Embrace the Power of Solar Energy

Using the power of the sun to provide electricity to your home is also a good way to go green.

There are tons of government rebates and tax credits you can take advantage of when installing a solar system on your home. Due to the complexity of this work, you should hire professionals to perform the solar panel installation process.

These professionals will have no problem getting the system in place quickly and correctly.

4. Don’t Forget About Recycling

Recycling more is a great way to keep the Earth green.

If you make a habit of saving your food waste, you can use it as compost in your garden. This natural compost will provide your plants with the vitamins and nutrients they need.

Most cities offer recycling pick-up, which makes it easy to go green.

5. Go Paperless When Possible

Most companies allow their customers to pay their bills online.

Going paperless and receiving your bills online is a great way to reduce strain on the environment.

Once you get used to paperless billing, you will wonder how you ever lived without it.

Need More Advice on How to Going Green?

The work you put into going green will pay off in the long run. If everyone does their part to help the environment, it will be easy to keep Mother Nature happy and healthy.

Are you looking more advice about how to be more eco-conscious?

Be sure to take a look at the great articles we’ve got on this subject and many more.

6 Tips for Boosting Your Financial Literacy

Angela Manning Education, Finance , , ,
6 Tips for Boosting Your Financial Literacy

Source

Making more money than you spend is not enough to guarantee a healthy financial life in today’s increasingly complex and interconnected world. Nor is making a sizeable income. It’s more important that consumers gain a solid understanding of what to do with their money—which can be daunting when there are so many options available.

How much should you be saving? Should you invest? Where is your disposable income going? Is your debt under control? Which debts should you focus on paying off first? These are just a sampling of the questions that can keep people up at night wondering how to best approach their finances.

Financial literacy is basically the knowledge that is necessary to make responsible financial decisions. As Investopedia writes, “Financial literacy includes understanding how a checking account works, what using a credit card really means, and how to avoid debt.” It includes understanding everything from day-to-day expenditures to investing and debt management.

Are you interested in boosting your financial literacy? Consider these six tips for doing so.

Find Media That Works for You

Some people are visual learners. Others prefer the written word. The key here is to find a form of media that captures your attention, whether it’s a video series on YouTube or a book from the library. There’s no one-size-fits-all way to study up on the concepts that make up overall financial literacy. If one method isn’t engaging you, switch it up until you find a learning style that clicks.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

One of the most daunting hurdles to financial literacy is a fear of asking questions. But nobody is born knowing everything there is to know about finances. There’s a wealth of knowledge out there for consumers willing to ask questions. For example, customer service representatives at financial institutions like investment firms and banks can often offer digestible and helpful explanations regarding their services. 

Take Advice from Industry Leaders

Thought leaders have earned their status for good reason. Keeping an eye on industry leaders within the financial world is a great way to glean tips, tricks and all-around applicable advice. For example, Andrew Housser, the co-CEO of Freedom Debt Relief, provided eight simple tips for saving last holiday season—a challenging period of time for many consumers hoping to save and buy gifts or travel.

Long story short: There’s savvy, free financial advice all around. Keeping tabs on industry leaders is the best way to make sure you don’t miss a thing. 

Practice Tracking Your Own Spending

Sometimes the best way to get good at something is simply by jumping in and doing it. So, use your own budget as a practice ground for improving your financial literacy. Chances are, some expenditures or habits have been slipping through the cracks. By taking note of your patterns, you can work to bring them more in line with your overarching savings goals. 

Pay Attention to Fine Print

Failure to read the fine print, especially on credit card applications, can result in serious consequences. For example, 0 percent APR credit cards rarely stay that way; at some point, the interest rate will jump, likely above 15 percent. Before agreeing to any terms or signing on the dotted line, take ample time to actually read the fine print. This will help improve your financial literacy by letting you know what to expect and save you from unexpected complications. 

Read At Least One Article Per Day

We’re all busy. Financial literacy won’t happen overnight. It’s much better—and less stressful—to set a realistic goal like reading one article per day. Carve out 15 minutes in your day to sit down and learn about a single financial topic. Committing to this ritual will help in the long-term without derailing your day-to-day plans.

These six tips aim to help you boost your overall financial literacy.