Money Skills That Actually Make Sense
We started zenorvexia in late 2019 because too many people were drowning in jargon when all they wanted was straight talk about budgeting. No corporate speak, no impossible promises—just practical guidance that fits real Australian lives.
How We Got Here
Back in 2019, I was sitting in a café in Townsville watching someone struggle to explain compound interest to their friend. The frustration was obvious. And it hit me—financial education shouldn't feel like decoding a foreign language.
That conversation sparked something. Within weeks, we'd mapped out what would become zenorvexia's teaching approach. We wanted to strip away the complexity without dumbing things down. Treat people like adults who can handle real information when it's presented clearly.
By mid-2020, we'd run our first budgeting workshop with twelve participants. Their feedback was honest, sometimes brutal—but that's exactly what shaped our programs into something genuinely useful. We've been refining the approach ever since, always listening to what people actually need rather than what we think they should want.
What Guides Our Work
These aren't corporate values we stuck on a wall. They're the principles that shape every workshop, every resource, every interaction with participants.
Plain Language
Financial concepts don't need fancy words. We explain things the way you'd talk to a friend over coffee—clear, direct, and without the jargon that makes banking feel like a secret club.
Real Situations
Our examples come from actual participant challenges, not textbook scenarios. Irregular income, rental struggles, unexpected bills—the stuff that affects everyday Australians.
Honest Limits
Budgeting won't solve systemic problems or magically create wealth. But it can reduce stress and help you make informed choices with whatever resources you have. That's what we focus on.
How We Teach Different
Most financial education falls into two camps: oversimplified tips or overwhelming theory. We've found a middle path that respects your intelligence while keeping things genuinely accessible.
Your Numbers, Your System
We don't hand out generic spreadsheets and call it done. Instead, participants build budgeting systems that fit their actual lives—whether that's weekly cash flow tracking for casual workers or quarterly planning for freelancers. The method adapts to you, not the other way around.
Questions Welcome
The best learning happens when people ask what they're actually confused about. Our workshops are structured around discussion, not lectures. If something doesn't make sense, we rework the explanation until it clicks. Your understanding matters more than our curriculum checklist.
Beyond the Workshop
Learning doesn't stop when the session ends. Participants get access to follow-up resources, optional check-ins, and a straightforward way to ask questions as they implement what they've learned. Because real understanding comes from applying concepts, not just hearing them once.
Who's Behind This
zenorvexia is small by design. We'd rather maintain quality and personal connection than scale up just because we can.
Alden Thorburn
Founder & Lead Educator
I spent eight years working in community financial counseling before starting zenorvexia. What I learned there: people aren't bad with money because they're careless or ignorant. They're overwhelmed by systems designed to be confusing.
These days I design our programs, run most workshops, and constantly tinker with how we explain concepts. Still learning what works best, still adjusting based on participant feedback. That's the part of this work I find most interesting—the ongoing refinement.
Ready to Sort Out Your Budget?
Our next series of workshops starts in September 2025. Small groups, practical focus, no pressure to be perfect. Just better financial clarity.
Get Workshop Details