We Started With a Kitchen Table and Too Many Bills
Back in 2018, three of us sat down trying to figure out why so many smart people we knew were drowning in debt. Not because they were reckless. Just because nobody ever taught them the basics.
The Reality We Saw
We'd watch friends earn decent salaries but live paycheck to paycheck. Colleagues avoid checking their bank accounts. Relatives put off retirement planning until it was almost too late.
The financial advice industry seemed built for people who already had money to invest. What about everyone else? What about the person just trying to understand their super or figure out if they could actually afford that car loan?
So we started small. Weekend workshops in community centers. Free sessions at libraries. Just showing up and talking about money without the jargon or judgment.
What Actually Matters to Us
Plain Language Only
Financial literacy doesn't need complicated words. We explain everything like we're talking to a neighbor over coffee. If our grandmother wouldn't understand it, we rewrite it.
Real Situations
We use actual scenarios from people we've worked with. Not theoretical cases from textbooks. The parent juggling childcare costs and mortgage payments. The graduate facing HECS debt and rent increases.
No Quick Fixes
Anyone promising overnight financial transformation is lying. We focus on sustainable habits that actually stick. Small changes that compound over months and years, not days.
Questions Welcome
There are no silly questions about money. We've heard them all and probably asked most of them ourselves. Every session includes time for the things people are actually worried about.
Your Pace
Some people need six months to feel comfortable with budgeting. Others are ready to tackle investment concepts in weeks. We adapt to where you're at, not where we think you should be.
Ongoing Support
Learning doesn't stop when the session ends. Life throws financial curveballs. We stay available for follow-up questions and provide resources as your money situation evolves.
Who's Actually Teaching You
We're not financial advisors with fancy certifications. We're educators who spent years learning this stuff the hard way and figured out how to explain it so it actually makes sense to regular people.
Saoirse Thornby
Lead Educator
Spent ten years as a high school math teacher before realizing most students needed money skills more than trigonometry. Built our curriculum from scratch based on what people actually ask about. Lives in Canberra with two teenagers who keep her grounded about what young adults need to know about finance.
Mirela Dunstan
Program Coordinator
Former community support worker who saw firsthand how financial stress affects everything else in people's lives. Designs our programs around what actually helps, not what looks good on paper. Knows every community center and library manager in the ACT region by first name.
How We Actually Work
No PowerPoint death by bullet points. No generic advice that applies to everyone and no one. Just practical sessions built around what you need to learn.
Sessions That Work
We keep groups small. Around twelve people max. That way everyone can ask their specific questions without feeling like they're holding up a crowd.
Most topics take three to four sessions spread over weeks. Not because we're slow, but because you need time between sessions to try things out and see what works for your actual life.
We run programs year-round with new cohorts starting every two months. Our next intake begins in September 2025, with sessions running through November. If you're interested, get in touch now so we can find the right fit.
View Our Programs