Budget Planning That Actually Works for Real Life
We started pytharivelo in 2019 because traditional financial planning felt disconnected from how people actually live. Most advice assumed perfect circumstances—no unexpected car repairs, no shifting priorities, no life happening in between spreadsheets.
Our approach is different. We teach multi-year budget planning that bends when life throws curveballs, because rigidity breaks under pressure. And in our experience, pressure is pretty much guaranteed.
How We Got Here
Our evolution from idea to education platform happened in stages—each one taught us something about what people actually need versus what the finance industry thinks they want.
2019: Starting Small
Began with weekend workshops in Canberra, teaching twenty people at a time how to build three-year budgets. The feedback was immediate—people wanted tools that matched their messy reality.
2021: Expanding Reach
Moved to online education during lockdowns, which forced us to improve how we explain complex concepts. Turns out remote learning made us better teachers overall.
2025: Where We Are
Now supporting over 2,800 individuals and families across Australia with practical budget education that adapts to changing circumstances, not rigid formulas.
What Guides Our Teaching
These aren't corporate values dreamed up in a boardroom—they're principles we developed from watching what actually helps people succeed with long-term financial planning.
Realistic Over Perfect
The best budget is one you'll actually follow. We teach systems that acknowledge you're human—you'll have months where everything goes sideways, and that's fine. Build flexibility into the foundation and you won't panic when plans shift. Perfect spreadsheets are useless if they don't survive contact with real life.
Context Matters
A budget strategy that works brilliantly for someone in their twenties might be completely wrong for someone managing a household of four. We customize approaches based on where you are now, not where some generic guide thinks you should be.
Education First
We're not here to manage your money—we're here to teach you how. The goal is independence, not dependence on consultants. Once you understand the principles, you can adapt them forever.
Our Teaching Method
We've refined this over six years and hundreds of students. It's less about fancy financial theory and more about building habits that compound over time.
Scenario-Based Learning
We work through real situations—unexpected medical bills, career transitions, housing moves. Theory is fine, but people remember lessons learned through practical problem-solving. You'll build budgets for scenarios that mirror what you'll actually face.
Iterative Planning
Your first budget won't be perfect—and that's expected. We teach you to review and adjust quarterly, incorporating what you've learned from actual spending patterns. Most people's third-quarter budget is significantly better than their first attempt, simply because they've gathered real data.
Meet the Person Behind the Program
Budget planning education shouldn't feel impersonal. Here's who designed this approach and why it matters that he's been through the same financial challenges you're facing.
Kristian Thorvaldsen
Lead Budget StrategistI spent my twenties making every budget mistake possible—which turns out to be excellent preparation for teaching others how to avoid them. Started at a major bank in 2010, left in 2018 because their advice felt disconnected from how most Australians actually manage money.
Built pytharivelo's curriculum around one core idea: financial planning should reduce stress, not create it. If a strategy makes you anxious every time you check your accounts, it's the wrong strategy. We focus on sustainable approaches that get easier with practice, not harder.
Outside budget planning, I'm usually cycling around Lake Burley Griffin or failing to keep houseplants alive. Still working on that second skill.