Money skills nobody taught you in school
Four hands-on sessions for secondary school students and university students in Croatia. You'll receive a fictional salary and spend a real month in Zagreb — rent, utilities, groceries, transport, and the eternal question: go out on Friday or save something for later?
The things school skipped
Most young people in Croatia enter adult life without ever being taught how money actually works. That gap is real, and it has consequences.
Why does everyone say everything is expensive?
Your parents aren't exaggerating. Rent in Zagreb, monthly transport passes, utility bills — these are numbers most teenagers have never had to think about. Until suddenly they have to.
Learn moreCredit cards are not free money
This is one of the most important lessons — and one of the most misunderstood. We walk through exactly how revolving credit works, what interest actually costs you over time, and when a credit card is a useful tool versus a trap.
Your first payslip decoded
Gross vs. net, pension contributions, health insurance, income tax. Your first payslip can look confusing. We explain every line.
What interest actually means
Borrowing and saving both involve interest — in opposite directions. Understanding the difference changes how you think about every financial decision.
A month in Zagreb, on a budget
Every participant gets a fictional salary and a real-cost simulation of life in Zagreb. Rent, food, transport, phone, going out — and the choices that come with limited money.
The habit of putting something aside
Saving isn't just for people with high incomes. We look at how small, consistent decisions compound over time — and why starting at 18 matters more than most people realise.
Four sessions, real skills
Each session builds on the previous one. By the end you'll have navigated a complete month of adult financial life — without the real-world consequences of getting it wrong.
We start at the beginning: where money comes from, how employment income works in Croatia, and what happens between your gross salary and the number that lands in your account. We decode a real payslip together.
What is an interest rate? How does compound interest work — for and against you? We cover loans, credit cards, overdrafts, and the hidden costs that don't appear in the headline number.
This is the core exercise. You receive a fictional salary and must cover all the real costs of living in Zagreb for one month. Every decision has a consequence. Run out of money? You'll find out what that actually means.
The final session looks forward. We explore why saving matters even on a small income, how financial goals work in practice, and how to build habits that actually stick. We also debrief the simulation from Session 3.
For anyone who's about to face real financial decisions
Secondary school students in their final years, university students in their first semester, young people who've just started their first job. If money has started to feel real and slightly overwhelming, this programme was designed with you in mind.
View upcoming sessionsWhat makes this different
Not a lecture. Not a textbook. A practical, participatory experience designed to stick.
The Zagreb budget simulation puts you in a real scenario with real numbers. Learning by doing is far more effective than learning by listening.
Sessions run in small groups so there's space for real questions. No question is too basic — that's the whole point.
We use actual Zagreb rent ranges, HZZ data, Croatian tax brackets and real supermarket prices. Not abstract theory — local reality.
Every concept is tied to a decision you might face within the next year. The content is chosen because it matters right now, not someday.
Money is often a taboo topic. These sessions create a space where it's safe to ask what you actually want to know, without judgment.
Each session builds on the last. By session four, you're applying everything together in a coherent picture of how personal finance actually works.
Find us in Zagreb
Questions about the programme, group bookings for schools, or just want to know more? We're easy to reach.
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Zagreb city centre