Everyone has their own hobbies and passion that brings them joy. You might find learning a new language like Korean brings you joy and fulfilment, but it also costs you money. You might find yourself struggle to balance your passion and your finance. It is important to have a realistic and sustainable plan to enjoy your hobby without compromising your financial goals. We will show you how to budget your passion for learning Korean in the following steps:

Set Your Budget

To set up a realistic budget, follow these steps:

• Identify Costs: List potential expenses, including resources, subscriptions, lessons, and any cultural experiences you’d like to indulge in.
• Prioritize: Allocate funds based on your priorities. For instance, if you value personalized instruction, dedicate a larger portion of your budget to tutoring.
• Monthly or Annual: Decide whether you’ll budget monthly or annually. Some resources have one-time costs, while others require ongoing payments.
• Review and Adjust: Regularly review your progress and spending. Adjust your budget as you advance and discover what works best for your learning style.

Assess Your Learning Style and Goals

Your approach to learning Korean plays a significant role in determining your budget. Are you a self-learner who prefers free resources, or do you thrive in a structured classroom environment? Your goals also matter—whether you’re aiming for conversational fluency, business proficiency, or just want to explore the language and culture.

Free Resources

There are infinite ways to learn Korean online for free. You can download a language book, language learning apps, or free online course for self-study. However, free options usually means the quality will be lacking at best.

However, if you are really stretch with money due to some temporary situation, you may start with these free materials and resource:

• Websites and Apps: Websites like Talk To Me In Korean, How to Study Korean, and apps like Duolingo and Memrise offer free lessons and exercises.
• YouTube: Korean language YouTubers share tutorials, vocabulary lessons, and cultural insights at no cost.
• Library: Borrowing Korean language books and resources from your local library can help you save money.

There are a lot of cheap or free resources you can use to enhance your foreign language skills. But not all of them offer quality language teaching. Self-study might not be the most effective and good solutions long-term for learning a new language. You need to find a language learning method that works for you. If you enjoy the way you learn, and you get closer to your goal, it’s worth it. Paying for value means that you’re spending your money well. But you have to find a method that actually works. Otherwise, you’re wasting money. There’s also a big difference between learning and studying. If you know how to turn your learning method to your advantage, you can actually save money and time.

Paid Resources

When you’re taking language lessons from a tutor or in a classroom setting, you’re paying for their expertise. The motivation and guidance they provide is valuable when it comes to language learning. That’s why these tutored classes cost money.

If you’re willing to invest more for a structured and comprehensive learning experience, consider below options.

• Good size group class: For those of you who see it as a hobby and want to have steady progress, a group class is a good place to start. It is a cheaper than private tutoring, but it doesn’t compromise your learning progress and the quality of the class. We have new Korean beginner courses opens monthly, available during weekdays after work or weekends. Class size between 4 – 6 people where you will get enough attention from teacher and good for practising with each other.

• Private tutoring: Private tutoring is one of the best options out there if you have enough budget for it. You will get full attention from our Korean teacher one-on-one; we will be able to offer personalized lessons according to your pace and learning goals. It is also more flexible as you can do the lesson based around your own schedule. Perfect for busy people who can’t commit to a fixed time.

Spend only where it pays off

If you do decide to invest in small group or private tutoring. It is important to choose a language school that is well established and has good reputation, the money you spend should buy you unrivalled personal attention. The accountability and effectiveness that comes with lessons creates a boost of ongoing motivation that is almost impossible to find for free. At Dear Asia London, we have over 10 years teaching experience and helped over thousands of students learnt a new language in London. You will have a dedicated Learning Manager to help you in your learning journey.

Spend on what’s worth to you

The last step is to enjoy your hobby and celebrate your achievements. If you have limited budget, it doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of happiness or fun, but rather that you have to be smart and spend on what brings you the most joy. You can still indulge in your hobby, as long as you stay within your budget. You can also reward yourself for reaching your milestones like advancing to the next course level, doing so you’ll feel more motivated and satisfied!