Course Content
Module 1 – Psychology of Finance
This module teaches why we make certain financial decisions — and how to change them: from beliefs and emotions, through motivation, to goals and spending priorities.
0/14
Introduction
Financial beliefs and patterns
Exercise: Financial quotes
Exercise: The power of habits in personal finance
Emotions and money
Motivation and adaptation
Exercise: Find your financial “why?”
Prioritise your spending
Exercise: ‘Need or Want’
Exercise: Purchasing Decisions
Exercise: Impulsive shopping
Financial planning and goal setting
Exercise: Setting financial goals
Summary
Module 2 – Household Budget under Control
Learn proven techniques for managing a household budget in Polish conditions. You'll learn to track income and expenses, use spreadsheets and apps, plan seasonal costs, and build an emergency fund – without jargon, but with concrete templates and exercises.
0/16
Introduction
Personal and household budget management
Exercise: Home budget in questions
Where do you start?
Exercise: Monthly expenditure tracking sheet
A real-life story
Exercise: Finance detective
Income categories
Exercise: Your available sources of income
Expense categories
Exercise: Household expenses
Ways to run a household budget
Seasonality of the household budget
Planning your expenses
Unexpected expenses
Summary
Module 3 – Saving
You'll build saving habits, learn about safe ways to accumulate funds and principles of responsible borrowing to avoid costly traps.
0/15
Introduction
Financial Stability Steps
The importance of saving
Exercise: Planning savings goals
Savings strategies and habits
Exercise: Money thieves
Start not wasting
Exercise: Recalculate how much your small expenses are costing you
Simple and effective ways to save money
Different forms of saving
Exercise: Family Saving
Borrowing wisely – the basics
Avoiding financial traps
Exercise: Good or bad credit?
Exercise: Knowledge about Loans and Credit
Module 4 – Basic Institutions
You'll learn about basic financial institutions and products in Poland, as well as the most important consumer rights, so you can use services safely and consciously.
0/14
Introduction
Basic financial institutions in Poland
Bank and account selection
Exercise: Comparison of banks
How to open a bank account?
Use of basic banking services
Basic financial institutions
Basic insurance
Security in electronic banking
Exercise: How to recognize a fake e-mail from a bank?
Consumer rights in the financial market
Avoiding financial traps
Financial market specializations
Summary
Module 5 – Finance in the Digital World
You'll learn to safely use online and mobile banking, cashless payments (card, BLIK, wallets), and recognize online scams.
0/19
Introduction
Online and mobile banking
Exercise: Consciously use online banking
Exercise: secure password
Exercise: mobile hotspot
Cashless payments in Poland
Exercise: BLIK in practice
How to protect your financial data
Exercise: Recognize a fake message
Typical scams and how to defend against them
Exercise: Recognize a BLIK scam
Safe online shopping
Exercise: Check the security of your store
Securing your computer and smartphone
Exercise: Test your knowledge
Exercise: Stay up to date
Phone scams: A true story
Data protection and RODO
Financial security in a digital world
Finances at a New Address

Exercise: Finance detective

Exercise objective:

Gain full control of your spending by discovering what you actually buy. You will learn how to distinguish between needs and wants and make more informed financial decisions.

It is said that receipts are mini-stories of our financial lives.

Instruction:

Become a detective: Pull out all the receipts you can find from your wallet, purse or pocket. Lay them out in front of you.

1

Prepare the tools:

Take two pens: blue and yellow. Use the blue colour to mark purchases that were a necessity, i.e. a real need (e.g. food, medicine, ticket to work). Use the yellow colour to mark those that were a craving, an impulse that you could do without (e.g. another pair of shoes even though you already have several, an expensive takeaway drink, unplanned sweets).

2

Analysis and conclusions:

  • If the colour blue predominates on your receipts, congratulations! It’s a sign that you are making thoughtful purchases and managing your money in a conscious manner. Keep it up!
  • If the colour yellow appears on your receipts, don’t worry. This is valuable information. Add up the value of all your ‘yellow’ purchases. What do you think of this amount? Think about what else, more valuable, you could spend it on. Perhaps for a language course, extra activities for your children or savings for a bigger purpose? Think about what prompted you to make these impulsive purchases, and try to consciously avoid doing so next time.

This exercise is the first step to taking control of your finances!

Benefits that people who regularly keep a household budget notice:

  • I know exactly what funds I have available: No more wondering how much money is left at the end of the month.
  • I know how much I spend in a month: A clear picture of total expenditure.
  • I know what I am spending on and the structure of my expenses: Understanding where the money ‘goes’.
  • I identify unnecessary expenses, seemingly small, which when added up create significant amounts and imperceptibly reduce our budget: ‘Small holes drown big ships’.
  • I can find savings: With knowledge of spending, it is easier to find areas where savings can be made.
  • My spending is organised: No more chaos and stress.
  • I plan for bigger expenses (e.g. buying a washing machine, going on holiday, buying a car) and can prepare for them.
  • I plan for more income – e.g. tax refund, bonus – and know how to manage it.
  • I tighten my budget and get rid of unnecessary expenses: I eliminate financial ‘leaks’.
  • I have a sense of control and agency over my personal finances: This gives me peace of mind and confidence.
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