A SUCCESSFUL business which encourages community support and peer learning about home finances is making its way to Braintree.
Trusted Money Confidence was founded by Executive Directors Karen Badenoch and her daughter, Jessica Taylor, a year and a half ago and it thrives with their lived experiences of budgeting.
The business’ six-week peer money confidence programme delves into 12 different topics and addresses them with insightful and open conversations.
Participants can engage and learn from each other in a supportive and social environment, which aims to build a strong community, extend help and guidance, and share knowledge to make financial challenges more manageable.
“We don’t actually teach anything—we do have open conversations, and we do build friendships.
“We have fun, we have cakes, we have coffee, and there is no pressure.
“We also bring the guest professionals we have on our programmes into the room so people know what services are available around them.
“We make sure people feel the service isn’t a service anymore, it’s a person they can approach when they’re struggling.”
The 12-hour programme has already seen strong success in Colchester, where Jess said Trusted Money Confidence has helped around 60 members of the community to be just over £137,000 better off over the following year.
The programme does encourage home tasks to open people’s minds to the way they could tackle money challenges, such as by thinking about their ‘real time budget’.
Jess said: “People don’t realise that their habitual spending should be accounted for within their budgets to help keep track of where their money is going—and we have that conversation in the room.
“But there is no pressure to do the home tasks, and no one checks your homework, as they are purely for your benefit.
“You only get as much out of the programme as you put in yourself, if you want to improve your circumstances.”
Trusted Money Confidence hosts a coffee morning once a month for everyone who has attended the programme to encourage even more social learning and community.
Jess said: “It’s inspiring to see, because it’s a very unique place to be.
“The strongest thing that any of us have as humans at our disposal is community.
“So, please get in touch with us, whether you know how to manage your finances or whether you’re struggling, because we want to fill the room up with the right people to share the knowledge.
“If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to call us, and we will have a coffee with you.”
Trusted Money Confidence plans to increase its presence in Braintree in January, and has received funding for two programmes from Braintree Council.
The programme is completely free, and offers weekly enablement vouchers for a supermarket of their choice and to assist with travel needs.
For more information, visit: www.trustedmoneyconfidence.com
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