Wednesdays, September 6, 13, 20, 27 || 6:30-8:30 (Genius Huddles will continue for one year after)
SE Uplift || 3534 SE Main Street
$234 for course + genius huddle || $123 for genius huddle only (FF alumni) || Scholarships available

Taught by Douglas Tsoi

There is only one person responsible for your financial health: you. Become the CFO for your life. Most people, no matter what their income is, have a poor financial education. Hence, they live in financial fragility. In this course, we'll talk about the seven levels of financial maturity, from financial dependence or living paycheck to paycheck, to saving minimally and lastly, having financial freedom. We'll explore the influence the hidden assumptions of consumption and debt in our capitalist system. The ultimate goal of this course is to help you reclaim ownership of how you spend your time + your energy. Ultimately financial freedom is about taking in control of your life and living a life that you believe in and feel right about. 

In class, you'll write your financial manifesto, and make a plan on how to execute it. You'll learn the habits, attitudes, and behaviors of people who have reached financial independence. Special topics include voluntary simplicity, investing, and how intimate relationships affect the way you treat money. This version of Financial Freedom includes the formation of year-long "genius huddles". Your genius huddle, essentially a mastermind group, will continue your financial education and keep you supported and accountable as you work towards your manifesto and plan. 

Read more about Douglas's personal story in this FB post.

Week 1: Understanding Money.  Talking about money is a taboo and thus we aren’t very aware of our relationship with it. We'll start with our internal assumptions about money, where they came from and how they dramatically influence our lives. Then we’ll talk about the personal savings rate and how it affects how many years you have to work.

Week 2: Minding the Gap: Consumption + Income.  We’ll break down the personal savings rate into its two basic components: spending + production. We'll talk about the profound implications behind taking control of both. We’ll go into depth about the personal and global consequences of consumption. Lastly, talk about the attitudes and behaviors necessary to really take control of your financial life.

Week 3: Writing Your Manifesto and Making a Plan. We live in a financial system that fundamentally requires people to be in debt. We’ll talk about breaking consent to the high-consumption, debt-driven system. No matter where you are on the path, working towards financial independence means taking back control of your life. You’ll draft your financial manifesto. Then you'll make a 1 year, 5 year, and long term plan that matches match your values, aspirations, and priorities. 

Week 4: Investing + Genius Huddles. This last session, we'll talk about the nuts-and-bolts of investing. We’ll talk about creating passive income, types of investments, risk and return, and other important concepts in investing for the future. We'll also form genius huddles, monthly group meetings of your FF classmates and other alumni. Those groups will keep you accountable to (1) your manifesto and plan and (2) your continuing financial education and growth for the coming months and years.

"This class was great! It really helped me to re examine and re create my relationship to money. I'm totally inspired now to think and learn about money, and am starting to save and invest in the future that means the most to me. Douglas was an excellent instructor. He is a living example of financial freedom, and was an skilled facilitator, guide, and advisor during the process. Take this class! It's the best investment (in your dreams) that you'll ever make." - Dan D.


"The Financial Freedom course changed my perspective on money and removed a lot of mental and emotional barriers I was having to taking control of my financial life, as well as providing me with a lot of practical information. Highly recommend!" - Kronda A.