Teaching Money Without the Nonsense
We started cilveriqona because someone needed to strip away all the confusion around budgeting.
Back in 2019, I was sitting in a café in Dubbo watching a young couple argue over their phone screen. They had a budgeting app open, but you could see the frustration on their faces. Too many features. Too many menus. They just wanted to know if they could afford dinner out that weekend.
That moment stuck with me. Most financial education services treated budgeting like some complex science project. But really, people just wanted clarity on where their money went and whether they had enough for what mattered to them.
How We Got Here
cilveriqona didn't start as some grand business plan. It grew from seeing the same patterns over and over in regional New South Wales.
People were overwhelmed by financial jargon. They'd sign up for courses that promised everything but delivered spreadsheets they'd never use. Or worse, they'd pay for apps with features they couldn't understand.
So we built something different. Education that actually made sense to real people dealing with real expenses.
Late 2019
Started running free Saturday workshops at local community centres. Just me, a whiteboard, and honest conversations about money management. Twelve people showed up to the first one.
Mid 2021
Moved into our Orana Mall space after the workshops outgrew borrowed rooms. Started offering structured programs that actually fit into busy lives.
Early 2023
Developed our core curriculum after working with over 400 local families. Everything we teach now comes from what actually worked for them, not from textbooks.
Present Day
Still in Dubbo. Still focused on simple budgeting. Still avoiding the unnecessary complexity that makes people give up on managing their money.
What Matters to Us
These aren't corporate mission statements. They're the things we check ourselves against when we're building new content or talking with participants.
Plain Language Always
If your twelve-year-old can't understand it, we rewrite it. Financial concepts don't need fancy words to be valid. We explain things the way you'd explain them to a friend over coffee.
Regional Focus
Sydney's cost of living advice doesn't work in Dubbo. We teach budgeting that makes sense for regional wages, regional expenses, and regional priorities. Your reality, not some city-centric fantasy.
No Upsells
When you sign up for a program, that's what you get. We don't hide the good stuff behind premium tiers or try to sell you extra modules halfway through. This always annoyed us as learners, so we don't do it.
Flexible Pacing
Life happens. Kids get sick. Work gets busy. Our programs let you learn when you can actually focus, not when some arbitrary schedule says you should. Progress matters more than perfect attendance.
Real Examples Only
Every case study in our programs comes from actual participant situations. Names changed, obviously, but the numbers and challenges are genuine. No made-up scenarios that sound too good to be true.
Questions Welcome
The only silly question is the one that stops you from understanding your money. We built in question time because that's where the real learning happens, when someone asks what everyone else was wondering.
Fletcher Gallagher
Founder and Education Director
Spent fifteen years as a financial counsellor before starting cilveriqona. Saw too many people stuck in cycles they couldn't break because nobody explained the basics without the jargon.
These days, I develop all our course content and run most of the workshops. Still learning what works better each time someone asks a question I hadn't considered.
Outside of cilveriqona, I volunteer with rural financial literacy programs and try to convince my own kids that tracking pocket money isn't punishment.
Our Next Program Starts September 2025
Eight weeks of practical budgeting education designed for people who've been putting off getting their finances sorted. Limited to sixteen participants so everyone gets proper attention.
View Program Details
Workshop Environment
Our sessions happen in a comfortable space at Orana Mall. No lecture halls or formal classrooms. Just practical work tables where you can spread out your materials and actually focus.
We keep groups intentionally small. You're not sitting in rows watching someone talk at a screen for two hours. There's discussion, questions, and time to work through your own numbers with guidance available.
Coffee's always on. Bring your laptop or just a notebook. Whatever helps you learn best.
Individual Support
Everyone's financial situation is different. What works for a single parent with two kids won't work for a retired couple or someone just starting their career.
That's why each program includes individual check-ins. Not formal appointments with clipboards and judgement. Just practical conversations about what's working, what isn't, and what adjustments might help.
You can book these whenever you hit a stumbling block or just want to verify you're on track. They're included in your program, not an extra charge.
Questions About Our Approach?
We're happy to explain how our programs work before you commit to anything. Visit us at the Orana Mall, send an email, or give us a call during business hours.
We'd rather spend twenty minutes answering your questions upfront than have you sign up for something that isn't the right fit.
Get in Touch