We Started With a Kitchen Table and Too Many Spreadsheets
Back in early 2021, three families sat down together after realizing we were all fighting the same battle. The money came in, then disappeared somewhere between groceries and school fees. We weren't reckless spenders. We just needed a better way to see where it all went.
That kitchen table conversation turned into tarixavivexe. Not because we had fancy finance degrees, but because we figured out what actually worked for regular families trying to keep their heads above water.
How It Actually Happened
One of us was a primary school teacher. Another worked in hospitality. The third ran a small landscaping business. None of us were financial experts, which turned out to be our biggest strength.
We tried every budgeting app and system out there. Most were either too complicated or treated us like children who couldn't add. What we needed was something that acknowledged real life — where your car breaks down the same week your kid needs new shoes.
By mid-2022, we'd developed a simple framework that worked for all three families. Friends started asking questions. Then friends of friends. By the time 2023 rolled around, we were running weekend workshops from that same kitchen table.
Now we work with families across Geelong and beyond. The faces change, but the challenges stay surprisingly similar.
What We Actually Believe
These aren't corporate values pulled from a template. They're the principles that guide every conversation we have.
Real Numbers Only
We work with what you actually earn and spend, not theoretical budgets that look good on paper but fall apart by Tuesday. Your financial situation is yours — we help you understand it, not judge it.
No Shame Zone
Everyone's made financial decisions they'd rather forget. We focus on where you're heading, not where you've been. The past is useful data, nothing more.
Practical Over Perfect
A budget that's 80% accurate but you actually use beats a perfect spreadsheet you abandon after three days. We help you build systems that fit your life, not the other way around.
Context Matters
A single parent with two kids faces different challenges than a couple without children. Regional costs differ from city expenses. We tailor our approach to your actual circumstances, not generic advice.
How We Help Families Get Clear on Money
Our approach developed from trial and error with real families. These four steps form the foundation of every program we run, starting in spring 2025.
Track Without Judgment
We start by looking at three months of actual spending. Not what you think you spend — what actually left your account. This reality check surprises most people, but it's the foundation everything else builds on.
Identify Your Patterns
Money leaks happen in patterns. Maybe groceries blow out every month, or subscription services pile up. We help you spot the recurring issues, not the one-off emergencies everyone focuses on.
Build Flexible Systems
Rigid budgets break. We create frameworks that adapt when life throws curveballs — and it always does. Your system needs to handle both regular weeks and chaotic months.
Review and Adjust
Financial situations change. What worked in autumn might need tweaking by summer. We teach you how to review and adjust your approach as life shifts around you.
Meet the Team
We're not financial advisors with decades of corporate experience. We're regular people who figured out what works and want to share it.
Sienna Kowalski
Program Coordinator
Before tarixavivexe, I spent twelve years teaching Year 5 and 6. Budgeting felt impossible on a teacher's salary with three kids. I tried every app, every system, every hack. Most failed within weeks.
What finally worked was stupidly simple — I just needed to see where money went without feeling terrible about it. Now I help other families find that same clarity. Our programs starting in September 2025 come directly from methods I use with my own family.
I live in Newtown with my partner, our three teenagers who eat their weight in food weekly, and a dog who refuses to acknowledge the existence of our budget.
Ready to See Where Your Money Actually Goes?
Our next program starts in September 2025. Small groups, practical focus, real results. No judgment, just clarity.
Get in Touch