An education project, not a marketing channel.
TL Academy began as a set of handouts for an evening class at a community college. The handouts worked; the class had a waiting list. This site is the handouts, rewritten for anyone to use.
What we do
We write and maintain short courses on the everyday budgeting skills most people are never taught: planning a month, building a cushion, working towards a goal, and keeping accounts safe online. We deliver them online and in person through libraries, colleges, housing associations and employers.
How we are funded
The academy is funded by course fees (29 € to 49 € per course, 179 € for all six), by fees paid by organisations for facilitated workshops, and by occasional grants from charitable foundations. We do not accept sponsorship, affiliate arrangements or advertising from any company, and we do not receive anything from third parties mentioned in a lesson. The first lesson of every course, the calculators and the glossary are provided at no cost.
Editorial standards
- Every lesson is written by an educator and reviewed by a second educator before publication.
- Worked examples use realistic figures and say so; we do not publish unverifiable success stories.
- We name the limits of each course and point to qualified professionals or community advice services beyond them.
- Lessons carry a "last reviewed" date and are checked at least once a year.
- Corrections are made in place and noted at the bottom of the lesson.
Who writes the lessons
A small team of teachers and community educators. Everyone here has taught the material in a room full of people before it went online.
Designed the original evening class and wrote Budgeting basics.
Reviews every lesson; wrote the rainy-day cushion and large purchases courses.
Wrote Staying safe online and the safety checklist.
Keeps lessons short, phone-readable and without jargon.