Personal Financial Planning

Planning as the organising idea

This Coursera course from Pearson treats personal finance as a planning exercise, with the aim of helping learners build a financial plan. The subject list covers money, debt, investments, risk and retirement, so the course moves from day-to-day cash management to longer-term decisions.

Who it suits

It is aimed at beginners who want a structured framework rather than a set of unrelated tips. Pearson is a well-known education publisher, and the course suits learners who prefer a textbook-style sequence to a loose collection of videos.

Takeaways to look for

• A method for turning goals into a written financial plan
• How debt and investment choices interact
• Thinking about risk before picking a retirement strategy

Draft a simple plan as you go, so the course leaves you with a document you can revisit and update.