My favourite resources
The books, courses, channels and software that actually taught me this, and the tools I still pay for. Everything here I have used myself.
Some of these are affiliate links. If you buy through one I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what goes on this page: if I would not recommend it to a friend, it is not here.
Python
Where I would start with Python, and what I still go back to.
Effective Pandas
BookMatt Harrison covers the pandas basics and then goes deep: series, dataframes, time series, exporting, plotting, debugging and method chaining.Very practicalComprehensive yet conciseFind out more
FreeAutomate the Boring Stuff with Python
BookThe one for beginners. Use Python for the tasks you are doing by hand, and get a lot of time back for very little theory.Very practicalIdeal for beginnersFind out more
100 Days of Code, the Complete Bootcamp
Video courseA hundred days, a hundred projects. Web development, data science and the usual frameworks: Flask, pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib.Angela is a fabulous teacherThe only course you needFind out more
FreeCorey Schafer on YouTube
VideosClear, thorough Python tutorials that cover web development, data science and the language itself. A solid foundation, free.Beginner-friendlySimple explanationsFind out moreExcel VBA
How to get started with macros, and the reference worth keeping open.
Unlock Excel VBA and Excel Macros
Video courseBuilt for beginners, taught by someone with seventeen years of it. Clear explanations and you write code from the start.Over 50 macro examplesReal-world projectsFind out more
FreeWiseOwl Excel VBA introduction
VideosNo prior knowledge needed. Start at the first video and you will be writing working macros by the end of the playlist.Beginner-friendlyStep-by-step guidanceFind out more
FreeExcel VBA Notes for Professionals
BookCompiled from Stack Overflow documentation: the essentials, what VBA is good for, and a lot of troubleshooting. Free to download.Comprehensive referenceReady-to-use code snippetsFind out moreSoftware and tools
The software I pay for and use every week, for the site and the videos.
Pabbly Connect
ToolLike Zapier, but sold as a lifetime deal instead of a monthly bill. What I use to wire the small automations together.Lifetime dealGood for small businessesFind out more
MZ-Tools for the VBA editor
ToolThe VBA editor has not changed in decades. This adds code indentation, line numbering and code reviews to it, and makes it bearable.One-time paymentFixes what the VBE lacksFind out more
Themify, the theme this site runs on
ToolThis site is WordPress with the Themify theme. I picked it for the drag-and-drop builder and the lifetime deal, and stayed for the support forum.Lifetime dealEasy drag-and-drop builderFind out more
Camtasia
ToolWhat every video on my channel is recorded and cut in. Far quicker to learn than Premiere Pro and it does everything a screen recording needs.Easy to useMade for screen recordingFind out moreLooking for my own tools?
The Excel add-ins, desktop apps and templates I build live on the solutions page.