Should you pay to study? Some students do very well with free study material while others like to have a lot of textbooks. It can be quite expensive to buy a lot of textbooks but there are also advantages. I am going to talk about the pros and cons of studying using free material and textbooks.
The best things in life are free?
There is so much available on the internet for free that anything you want is often just a Google search away. There is music, video, text, speaking practice and even grammar and vocabulary exercises. You can even download books legally from places like Project Gutenberg.
Sometimes you need a little bit more structure to your study and without a textbook, teacher or mentor to guide you it may be difficult to know what you need to study and in what order.
You get what you pay for?
Not all textbooks are equal. Sometimes expensive textbooks are worse than cheaper options. Sometimes you may pay a lot of money to a language school who give a lot less to the experienced or inexperienced teacher in the room than you think. Before you spend your money, think about whether it is worth it. Read some of the textbook in the shop, or ask for a demonstration lesson.
Spending your money can be a great way to keep your motivation up. It’s like all those people who would never exercise if they didn’t pay for gym memberships. However, be aware that a lot of people also pay for gym memberships and never go. If you would like to take a lesson with me, look here.
Myself, I buy nice running shoes and go running on the street almost every day and my wife criticises my Japanese grammar and vocabulary every day. I read free magazines and web pages and make word cards.