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Personal Finance Masterclass - Easy Guide to Better Finances (Udemy.com)

Your complete personal finance guide to understanding finances. Save more, invest smarter, reduce loans, retire earlier!

4.6
5,957 reviews

Created by: Phil Ebiner

Last updated April 2024

Our take

Based on the ratings of 5,957 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in April 2024. No course pays to be reviewed.

Phil Ebiner's course runs about 7 hours across 167 lectures in 15 sections. It moves from budgeting and credit cards to debt, investing basics, retirement, real estate, taxes, and softer topics like money and relationships. The syllabus shows a lot of short lessons, and one section is 52 quick definition videos. It is aimed at people who feel behind with money and want a starting map, not a technical manual.

Reviewers call it eye-opening and informative, and one likes that the lessons are short enough to hold attention. Some say it pushed them to look hard at their spending, retirement savings and side income. The complaints are consistent. Much of the content is written for a US audience: one South African reviewer wanted more local context on credit and tax, and another had to translate some of the lessons. Two three-star reviewers found it too basic, or said they had already learned most of it for free. About 83 percent of the 5,957 ratings are four or five stars.

The course was last updated in April 2024, so check any account rules or limits against a current source. There are no quizzes or exercises, so it is watch-and-think rather than practice. As a short paid option beside Acorns' guide and a budgeting-only course, it covers more ground but stays shallow on each topic. Recommended for US beginners who want a first pass. Others can treat it as a primer.

Best forBeginners who want a quick, plain-spoken tour of budgets, debt, investing and retirement in one place.
Skip it ifYou live outside the US, already know the basics, or want deep investing and tax detail.

Pros

  • Short lessons across 167 lectures; one reviewer says they hold attention
  • Covers budgeting, debt, investing, retirement and taxes in one 7-hour course
  • Reviewers call it eye-opening on spending habits, retirement savings and side income
  • About 83 percent of 5,957 ratings are four or five stars

Cons

  • Content leans on US rules, so credit and tax lessons need translating elsewhere
  • Last updated April 2024, and there are no quizzes or exercises
  • Too basic for people who already know budgeting and investing, say some reviewers
Great course and learned a lot from it. I had to translate some of the learning to my South African context
Boitumelo Mosidi, a student

Suits true beginners. Students are asked to bring their balances and debt totals, and to be open to rethinking money beliefs.

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What you will learn

  • You'll be the master of your own finances.
  • You'll know how to create a smart budget that helps you increase savings and reduce expenses.
  • You'll increase your income with a promotion, new job, side hustle, and online income.
  • You'll have a step-by-step process for reducing your loan and/or credit card debt.
  • You'll know the process for buying a house and saving up for a down payment.
  • You'll know how retirement works, how to save and invest for retirement, and how much you'll need to save and invest for a worry-free retirement.
  • You'll learn how to retire early and achieve financial freedom!

Course content

15 sections · 167 lectures · 7.3 hours of video 13 articles

  1. 1Course Intro - Understand the Basics of Personal Finance 6 free previews8 lectures · 23 min
  2. 2Budgets, Savings, Reducing Expenses 1 free preview14 lectures · 1.1 hours
  3. 3Grow Your Income: Make More Money Doing What You Love9 lectures · 27 min
  4. 4Credit Cards: Understand How to Master Using Credit Cards5 lectures · 12 min
  5. 5Loans, Debt, & Debt Reduction11 lectures · 38 min
  6. 6Investing 101: Learn the Basics of How Investing Works11 lectures · 34 min
  7. 7Retirement Basics: Learn How Retirement Works9 lectures · 32 min
  8. 8Early Retirement Plan & Financial Freedom7 lectures · 15 min
  9. 9Real Estate, Mortgages, and Other Big Ticket Purchases9 lectures · 32 min
  10. 10Taxes: How Taxes Work8 lectures · 15 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • This course is for you if you want to improve your financial life
  • This course is for you if you need help handling your money.
  • This course is for you if you want to make more money.
  • This course is for you if you want to learn how to invest the smart way.
  • This course is for you if you want to reduce your expenses and save more money.
  • This course is for you if you struggle with credit card or loan debt.
  • This course is for you if you want to own a home and want to save up for a down payment.

What you need before you start

  • Students should be open to being challenged in their preconceived financial beliefs
  • Students should get together their finances: know how much money they have in savings, checking, and investment accounts.
  • Students should know how much debt they have: credit card, student loan, mortgage, car loans, or any other personal debt.

How it compares

Against the other 33 rated Udemy courses in Personal Finance on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 72% of them
  • Reviews5,957#1 of 34 by number of reviews
  • Length7.3 hourslonger than 78% of them
  • Last updatedApril 2024more recently than 54% of them

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Course Description

This online personal finance course will teach you how to master your money, how to grow your income, reduce your debt, budget the smart way, invest your money, and much more!

  • Do you need help handling your money?
  • Can you imagine a life of financial freedom?
  • Do you want to make more money?
  • Are you interested in investing but just don’t know where to start?
  • Have you struggled with credit card or student loan debt?
  • Do you want to own a home?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in the right place. We know how hard it is to get by in the modern world. We understand your struggles. Heck, we’ve lived them. But we’ve been able to turn it around ourselves, to not just survive but to THRIVE!

Phil paid off over $140,000 in student loan debt and built a 6-figure side business within 5 years of college graduation. Mike & Lauren are on the path towards super-early retirement, are the ultimate personal finance hackers, and are currently traveling the country with their newborn son.

This isn’t your traditional personal finance course. We’re not bankers or creditors. We’re not trust fund babies who haven’t worked for themselves. We’re just like you, and that’s what this course is all about. This is a course that teaches normal people like you the skills and knowledge to truly understand how money works. We show you the path towards financial freedom.

This online personal finance course covers all of the following topics:

  • Understand Your Money
  • Budgeting, Savings, Reducing Expenses
  • Grow Your Income
  • Understanding Credit Cards
  • Loans, Debt, Debt Reduction
  • Investing 101
  • Real Estate, Mortgages, and Other Big Ticket Purchases
  • Retirement Basics
  • Early Retirement Plan & Financial Freedom
  • Taxes
  • Love & Money
  • Youth & Money
  • Psychology & Money

Master your own finances to build wealth for you and your family.

Regardless of what your financial expertise is or how much money you have in your bank account, this in-depth course is designed to provide you with everything you need to take your finances to the next level.

Whether you’re in debt and don’t have a clue where to go from here, or you’re just wondering where to invest your money, you’ll learn the next steps to success. By truly understanding how things like credit, compound interest, taxes, and investment accounts work, you’ll be in a better position for financial freedom.

By the end of this course, you’ll have a better grasp of your own finances. You’ll know the next steps towards financial freedom. You’ll know how to save more, spend less, and invest smarter. You’ll be less stressed and happier. That's our goal. Take the first step to financial success with this amazing personal finance course.

About the instructors:

Phil Ebiner started teaching online courses in 2012, and now has over 130,000 happy students on Udemy learning all sorts of things from personal finance and business building to video editing and motion graphics. Phil is passionate about helping people understand their finances and uses tools like video to break down the complexity of these topics.

Mike and Lauren are personal finance wizards with a YouTube channel geared at helping others tackle their financial problems. Mike and Lauren don’t just talk the talk, but also walk the walk of early retirement and living a financially smart life.
Read More All Levels All Levels product length iconTime: 7.3h

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Instructor Details

Phil Ebiner

I’m Phil Ebiner, an educator, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Video School and Photography & Friends. Through my online courses and creative community, I’ve helped millions of students around the world learn practical skills in photography, video production, design, and more. My goal is to make creative skills feel accessible, useful, and encouraging, whether you’re picking up a camera for the first time or looking to take your work to the next level.

My teaching style is clear, supportive, and hands-on. I break complex topics into simple steps, explain the “why” behind each technique, and share real-world examples you can immediately apply. As a photographer and filmmaker, I believe great creative work is not just about gear or settings, but about storytelling, intention, observation, and connection. My goal is to help you feel confident, inspired, and capable of bringing your own creative ideas to life.


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Reviews

4.6

5,957 ratings on Udemy

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Write a review

By Hai Hilvitz on 8/25/2026

Very informative. I like the format of the short sub sections. When sections get to be 30 + minutes at a time, I tend to lose intrest.

By Theo Makamo on 7/29/2026

So far this course is an eye openner as i am a spender and checking my retirement saving and the time left for me i don't have enough to sustain me for the future and i am really scared. I see a reason to change my life style and bad habits

By Veronica Baloyi on 7/10/2026

I found the training to be very eye-opening, informative, and educational. It highlighted how even the smallest details can have a significant impact and reinforced the importance of paying attention to every aspect of my finances. It was a valuable learning experience that enhanced my understanding and knowledge."

By Said Omar on 6/10/2026

So far informative, eye opening and detailed in terms of savings, proper budgeting, i was unaware of credit unions. Looking forward to the rest of the course.

By Scott David Frahm on 6/2/2026

I enjoyed hearing about the basics and starting from "$ 0.00" I also like how the lessons are broken down into small amounts of time.

By Dineo Bosch on 4/22/2026

This was a great course; I must say that I was not aware of some of things shared and I will definitely be doing more research. I just think that some of the information was a bit limiting as it focused on a specific region.

By Anurag Mishra on 3/18/2026

The course provides a good foundational understanding and is suitable for beginners. However, for learners who already have prior knowledge or experience, it may not offer substantial value. Additionally, much of the content appears to be tailored primarily for a U.S.-based audience, which limits its relevance for learners from other regions.

By Anonymized User on 1/4/2026

I have learned some new things and the course solidified information that I already knew. It also reminded me of things I had forgotten.

By David Harris on 12/22/2025

Great introduction to many aspects of personal finance. Strikes the right balance of comprehensiveness and practical guidance you can apply right away.

By Charmell Grootboom on 12/9/2025

Taking on small expenses that ends up making a huge difference in the amount of expenses I have when my salary comes into the account.

By Danielle West on 11/8/2020

Awesome and very informative. Very detailed and to the point.

By Dorothy Connors on 10/21/2020

Nice and simplistic. Some items are outdated or don't provide enough detail, but overall a worthwhile course and very informative especially for a younger audience.

Showing 12 of 284 reviews

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Overall Score : 92 / 100

Personal Finance Masterclass - Easy Guide to Better Finances
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 7.3h
  • Price: $15.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon April 2024
  • Level: All Levels All Levels
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:167 in 15 sections
  • Students:49,500
  • Subtitles:16 languages
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