Practical budgeting education for real Australian households
Most people don't need another spreadsheet template or app recommendation. What actually helps is understanding why your money moves the way it does—and how to gently redirect it toward what matters most. Our learning program walks you through long-term budgeting concepts that work with your life, not against it.
I thought I understood budgeting until this program showed me how my spending patterns were quietly sabotaging my future. Three months in, and I'm not just tracking expenses—I'm actually making decisions that align with where I want to be in five years.
Completed September 2024
Six modules that build on each other. No fluff, no overwhelming theory—just practical concepts you can start using the same week. Our autumn 2025 cohort begins in March, with sessions running through August.
Most budgets fail because they're based on gross income instead of what actually hits your account. We start with the real numbers—after tax, super, and those automatic deductions you forgot about.
Understanding which expenses are truly fixed and which ones just feel that way. This distinction changes how you approach every dollar that leaves your account.
Not the same as savings. This is about building a cushion that prevents small surprises from becoming financial crises. We'll figure out what size buffer actually makes sense for your situation.
Whether it's a mortgage, car loan, or credit card, debt requires different strategies depending on interest rates and your overall financial picture. No shame, just math and realistic timelines.
Retirement feels abstract when you're dealing with today's bills. This module connects your current choices to future possibilities without making you feel guilty about enjoying life now.
Budgets drift over time. Life changes, prices increase, priorities shift. The final module focuses on building check-in habits that keep your financial plan relevant without constant overhauls.
Plan for about 90 minutes weekly during the active learning phase—that's the live session plus homework. Some weeks you'll finish early. Others, especially when you're diving into your own numbers, might need an extra hour. The autumn 2025 cohort runs for six months because we've learned that spreading things out helps concepts stick better than cramming everything into a month.
Never. You'll work with your own numbers privately. Group discussions focus on concepts and strategies, not specific dollar amounts. Some participants choose to share their situations in general terms because they find it helpful, but that's entirely optional and always anonymized.
Every session gets recorded and stays available for the duration of the program plus three months after. You'll also get the workbook materials and can catch up at your own pace. That said, the live discussions tend to be where the most useful insights emerge, so we encourage attending when possible.
Both work well. Couples often find it helpful to go through the program together since budgeting involves shared decisions. Individual participants frequently report that the framework gives them language to discuss money more effectively with partners. Either way, the concepts adapt to your household structure.
We run cohorts twice yearly because cramming financial education into a weekend workshop doesn't work. Real behavior change takes time and repetition.
Our next program launches March 2025 and continues through August. Sessions happen Tuesday evenings at 7 PM AEST—chosen specifically because it's after dinner but before most people are too tired to think about numbers.
Lead Educator
I spent twelve years as a financial counselor before developing this program. What I noticed repeatedly was that people didn't lack discipline—they lacked frameworks that made sense for their actual lives. This program distills what worked for hundreds of families I've worked with.
Guest Facilitator
I join for the debt navigation and goal mapping modules. After working in banking for twenty years, I've seen how small misunderstandings about interest rates and loan structures cost people thousands. My goal is making those concepts click without requiring a finance degree.