Cash advice

Fancy learning new skills? The internet is full of tutorials, showing you how to do anything from icing a cake to sealing a bath for free. Here are five portals that are worth checking out…

1 GOOGLE DIGITAL GARAGE From updating your CV and networking successfully to digital marketing, Google’s Digital Garage ( learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage) offers free online courses designed to help you grow your own business or give your career a boost. Even better, you can sign up for free face-to-face coaching sessions related to these courses, which take place around the UK.

2 GOOD HOUSEKEEPING INSTITUTE Not confident when it comes to icing a cake or making pesto? Fear not – the goodhousekeeping. com/uk website has hundreds of cookery videos with step-bystep instructions for all the skills you need to become your very own master chef!

3 CODECADEMY Crack the code with codecademy.com, which teaches you to write computer code or create things from simple websites to more interactive pages. Online exercises explain what to do and then allow you to practise the theory. Alternatively, if you have an iPad, Apple has its own free app called Swift Playgrounds, which teaches coding via interactive puzzles. Simple to use, its cartoonish games are ideal for those who want to master the basics of coding but may not initially be tech savvy.

4 FUTURELEARN A free online service, futurelearn. com partners with more than 80 UK and international universities and companies to offer a wide range of courses, from the arts to law and business. Course materials comprise videos and articles, and you can start discussions with other learners by commenting on them.

5 B&Q AND WICKES The DIY giants have YouTube channels that offer videos to help you master home-related skills including installing a kitchen worktop, grouting tiles and even decking your garden. If you want to be alerted when new videos appear, you’ll need to subscribe to their channel.