Budget Strategy Learning Programme
A six-month intensive course starting September 2025, designed to help you build practical budgeting skills and develop real financial confidence through hands-on learning and personalised guidance.
Request Programme DetailsIs This Programme Right for You?
We've structured this course around real scenarios people face when trying to manage their money better. Answer these questions honestly, and you'll know if our approach fits your situation.
- Are you earning but still feeling uncertain about where money actually goes each month?
- Do you want a system that's flexible rather than rigid spreadsheets that feel overwhelming?
- Have you tried budgeting apps but need someone to explain the reasoning behind the numbers?
- Are you preparing for a major life change and want to feel financially ready?
- Do you prefer learning through practice rather than just theory?
Who benefits most
Our most successful participants are people who recognise they need structure but hate feeling restricted. They want guidance without judgment, and they're willing to commit three hours weekly to changing how they think about money.
What You'll Actually Do
Forget boring lectures. Our sessions combine live workshops, one-on-one reviews, and practical assignments you complete using your own financial information.
Each fortnight, you'll work on a different aspect of budget strategy. Week one might focus on tracking income patterns. Week three could tackle irregular expenses. By week twelve, you're building emergency fund strategies that actually suit your circumstances.
Between sessions, you have access to our online platform where you can ask questions, share challenges, and see how others in your cohort are approaching similar problems. It's collaborative without being intrusive.
The September 2025 cohort runs until February 2026, with optional monthly check-ins available through summer 2026 for those who want continued support.
Who's Teaching This Course
Three financial professionals who've spent years helping real people sort out their budgets. No celebrity finance gurus here, just experienced practitioners who understand that everyone's situation is different.
Callum Pendergast
Lead Instructor
Spent twelve years working with families and individuals across Manchester, helping them create budgets that actually work with their lives rather than against them.
Saoirse Quillan
Behavioural Finance Specialist
Focuses on why we make the financial decisions we do, and how to build better habits without relying purely on willpower. Her background in psychology brings a different perspective to money management.
Esme Threlfall
Practical Budgeting Coach
Runs the one-on-one review sessions where you'll work through your actual financial situation. She's seen hundreds of budgets and knows what works in practice versus what only sounds good in theory.
Six Modules Over Six Months
Each module builds on what you learned previously, but you won't feel rushed. We revisit concepts when they're relevant rather than moving linearly through topics.
Foundation and Awareness
Understanding where you currently stand without judgment. We look at spending patterns, income consistency, and develop your personal tracking method that suits how you actually live.
Creating Your Framework
Building a budget structure that accommodates irregular expenses, seasonal changes, and unexpected costs. This is where theory meets your real life circumstances.
Decision Making Under Pressure
What happens when your budget meets reality? We practice scenarios like car repairs, work changes, and other disruptions that throw careful plans off course.
Building Buffers and Safety Nets
Emergency funds sound simple until you try to build one. We work through realistic approaches that don't require massive income or impossible sacrifice.
Long-Term Planning Foundations
Looking beyond immediate needs without getting lost in complicated projections. How do you balance present spending with future priorities when both feel important?
Sustainable Habits and Systems
Creating routines that stick after the course ends. We review what worked, adjust what didn't, and build your personal maintenance plan for ongoing financial confidence.
Your Learning Journey
Initial Assessment
Before the course starts, you complete a financial snapshot. Nothing invasive, just enough for us to understand your starting point and tailor examples to situations like yours.
Bi-Weekly Live Sessions
Two-hour workshops every other Tuesday evening, starting 7pm. We keep groups small, around fifteen people, so there's room for questions and discussion without feeling like a lecture hall.
Personal Review Meetings
Three individual sessions throughout the programme where you work directly with an instructor on your specific budget. These are confidential and focused entirely on your situation.
Ongoing Platform Access
Between sessions, you have access to resources, recorded materials, and peer discussion forums. Use them as much or as little as helps you.