edX. Course Description: edX provides a host of free bookkeeping courses through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Topics include an introduction to bookkeeping, intermediate bookkeeping, financial accounting and introduction to management accounting.

You may also pursue certification programs or use online courses to become a self-taught bookkeeper. Self-taught bookkeepers use a variety of courses, seminars, books, and other online resources to learn about bookkeeping and accounting.

You'll understand bookkeeping better By doing it on your own, you can see exactly where your dollars are coming from and going to. That helps you better manage your money and make high-level financial decisions. You'll learn how to organize, read and manage your business' finances in a hands-on way.

"A bookkeeper records the financial transactions of an organization and takes care of day-to-day functions such as recording sales and invoices, paying bills and processing payroll," Stephens said. "Accountants take the financial data and analyze it to help organizations make financial decisions."