Why are Online Courses So Expensive? 7 Tuition-Finding Ideas for You
Why are online courses so expensive? This might be a question you ask yourself if your budget is tight. You know that online course you've been eyeing could be the answer – but you can't afford it right now.
You know you need to make a change in your life, and a path is calling to you. But the price to purchase the online training you need to get off to a good start seems way out of reach. The flexibility and affordability of online learning make it a great option for stay-at-home moms. However, if you don't have the money you need to pay for the course you want, you can't take advantage of those benefits.
If you've ever asked, “Why are online courses so expensive?” while staring at your account statements and a pile of unpaid bills, this article is for you. We've got seven ways you can raise the money you need to change your family's life. Try one, a few, or use them as springboards for your own ideas.
Why are online courses so expensive?
Do you believe the old saying that you have to spend money to make money?
There's merit to that statement. The best online training courses provide a strong foundation for your new work-from-home business. They may offer ongoing support and additional learning and networking opportunities.
You can absolutely bootstrap your business, clawing your way to work-from-home success, Google search by Google search, piecing your business together a little a time.
But, no doubt, that is the harder way to build a business and doing it that way will take you more time, effort, and energy you could be putting into building your business and earning income. That's another reason why online training is better for many people who would like to get their business going as soon as they can.
That's why spending money in a strategic way can really propel your business (and your bank account), by leaps and bounds in a much shorter time frame.
The right work-from-home training is one example of money well-spent. Having a blueprint from people who have achieved the success you‘re after can save a lot of blood, sweat, and tears as you grow your business. And the ongoing support many of the best affordable online certification programs will be there for you long after you finish the course, too.
Why are Online Courses So Expensive? The “Catch 22” of Getting What You Pay For When You Don't Have Much to Spend
Maybe you're the exception, but most of us have felt the unwelcome Catch 22: that disappointing spot where we're dying to buy an online work-from-home course we know we need to achieve our goals, but it has a price tag that feels like a luxury, or maybe even an impossibility, with our current budget.
Sound familiar?
You're longing to work from home because you need more money and more flexibility. You don't have oodles of money lying around to spend.
Do any of these sound like you?
- You're living month-to-month and want to be free from the end-of-the-month, “How am I going to make it to payday?” fear.
- You diligently stash every penny you can into a savings account so you can afford to stay at home with your kids.
- You've got more debt than you want, and you're focused on paying it down.
Spending money on non-essentials can feel like a foolish choice if you're in any of these situations. But this might not be the best way to see it. You might be wondering why online courses are so expensive rather than viewing them as an investment in your own future. In other words, asking “how much does online training cost, and how can I justify it?” isn't as useful as weighing the long-term benefits the program can bring if you participate fully in it.
If you enroll in a quality work-from-home training course and invest time and energy into it, you will learn valuable skills. If you apply these skills, you can increase your income, and more. You will have the freedom to be your own boss and experience benefits like these:
- New options will open up for you.
- You can work with clients you love working with.
- Many graduates make back the money they spent on the course – usually many times over.
- You'll have support as you get your new business off the ground.
- There are incredible people to meet along the way.
- You will probably experience great personal growth.
Take Action Instead of Asking, “Why are Online Courses So Expensive?”
Is there a certain course calling your name? Have you done enough research to know the course is worthwhile and a good fit for you (If not, we've got a free checklist to help you assess online courses).
Do you know the course has the power to change your life, but you’re still hesitating because you don’t have the money (or you do, but you can’t bring yourself to spend it?)
For a minute, set aside the fear and make a plan. If you start today, you‘re one step closer to achieving your work-from-home goals. And it doesn't cost anything extra to set up a series of steps to get you to where you want to go.
Not sure where to start?
Here are seven ways you can take action and get the course you want:
1. Request the course you want as a gift
Is your birthday coming up? Christmas? Mother's Day? Has someone asked what you want? Rather than lamenting, “Why are online courses so expensive?”, ask for the course you want!
I know, I know – asking is hard! If the price tag for the course you want is high, it might even feel unfair to ask for that much. But there are other ways to look at this.
Did you know that most people like helping others? Think of that warm glow you get when you help someone. By asking others to help you create a new and better future for yourself and your family, you give them the chance to feel good, too. Stanford social psychologist Xuan Zhao explains.
If the price tag seems high for one person, you could break the total cost into portions, and ask for those as smaller gifts, instead. Even if you don't receive the entire price, it might be enough to let you do the rest.
2. Adjust your mindset
Do you really not have the money for the course, or are you using that as an excuse because you're afraid? You would be surprised how often we sabotage ourselves because of fear. This BetterUp article talks about how to deal with the fear of success, which can be as potent as the fear of failure.
Do you have the go-ahead to buy the course you want? Are you still hesitating? Are you afraid of what might happen if you can't make it through the course? What if it isn’t worth the money?
Or – what if you excel at it, and your life really changes? Will you be able to handle all the things that will be different?
Sometimes all it takes is recognizing our faulty thoughts and thinking them through. If you have the ability to buy the course and can't bring yourself to do so, take some time to sit with your feelings and figure out where you are getting in your way. Once you do that, you will be closer to overcoming them.
3. Adjust your budget
If you do a monthly budget, add a line item to start saving for the course you want. To find the money for it, decrease another category.
You could:
- Buy a lower cable package or switch to streaming services for just the options you want
- Stop eating out for a couple of months
- Skip the coffeeshop and make yours at home
If you don't have a budget, consider starting one. Tracking where the money goes and making adjustments will go a long way toward affording your course.
But what if you tend to be budget-averse? You might find that a simpler budget works better for you. You can learn more about the 80%/20% plan here.
4. Sell something
Almost all of us have extra clutter laying around that we don‘t need anymore. It’s not valuable to us, but it is to someone else out there. Take a look around your home and you’ll start to see some things you can sell for cash.
What do you have in the garage you haven’t used in years? In the basement? Your bedroom closet?
Did you know there are many easy ways to sell your unwanted items online? Or that many of them are free? You could raise the money you need to purchase that course you're dreaming of, without asking, “Why are online courses so expensive?”
And once you've started moving toward your dream work-from-home business, you can learn in a cleaner, less cluttered home. Win-win!
5. Consider taking a bridge job
A bridge job lets you get from where you are to where you want to be – like walking across an actual bridge. It should cover the expenses you need it to – like the cost of that online training you desperately want. Bridge jobs should also be fairly low-stress and easy to leave when you've gotten to your goal.
If you have kids at home, babysitting might be a great option for some extra money. Other options are yard work, cleaning homes, waitressing, or delivering pizzas.
Seasonal jobs at a garden center in the spring or at a department store during the holidays can also be great temporary options to earn money for the course you want.
You could also look at online options for bridge work. For instance, you could do online tutoring or data entry work to earn on your own schedule.
6. Buy a less expensive course or one with a payment plan
Some courses that enable you to start working from home don’t cost all that much in perspective to what you‘re getting for them. If you've gotten so used to wondering why online courses are so expensive, you might not have noticed that that's not always true. For example, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing costs under $200 if you pay in one payment (and just over in two installments).
Even if you don't want to do affiliate marketing long-term, you can spend a little and use what you learn to finance the course of your dreams. Plus, you'll learn valuable skills about building a business that can transfer to the work you really want to do.
Some courses have full-year payment plans, but you get access to all course resources upfront. Bookkeeper Launch is one example. Spreading the payments over 12 months can make each one a lot more manageable.
Another option is Freelance University, which has over 80 courses to choose from. You can enroll by the year or by the month, and the monthly tuition is only $59. With FreeU, you can come and go as you like, building skills to get you closer to your goals.
While this might not be the way you imagined it, these options can help you make incremental changes to reach your goals.
7. Pounce on the next course sale
Memorial Day, Black Friday, and the New Year are all great times to get deals on work-from-home training. If you sign up for course freebies, you'll be on their mailing list. That means you’ll be the first to hear about upcoming sales. That's especially handy, because occasionally there are flash sales that aren’t advertised anywhere else.
Whether or not you join the mailing list, keep your eyes open and check the site for the course you want regularly, so you'll be able to take advantage of any sale that fits your budget.
Conclusion: Why are Online Courses So Expensive? Because They Provide Value!
There's a reason you want that amazing work-from-home training course. You're looking to make a change in your life. Maybe you just want something to call your own in the midst of raising a family. Or you might want flexible work that fits into your life and adds to your income. You might even be dreaming of creating wealth from your new business.
Whatever your reasons, you don't have to keep asking, “Why are online courses so expensive?” Instead, you can take steps to afford the course. So make a plan and take a chance on the course you want. And then, commit yourself to learning, growing, and changing your life! 🙂
We love talking about ways to save money and helping you build your online business. Are you still asking, “Why are online courses so expensive?” or do you new have ideas on how to make it happen? We'd love to hear from you!