Building Financial Clarity Since 2018
We started merlaxitovo because too many Australians felt lost when dealing with their money. Not confused by complicated investments or obscure tax laws — just everyday financial decisions that somehow became overwhelming.
What Actually Matters to Us
Plain Language, Always
Financial education shouldn't require a dictionary. We explain budgeting, saving, and investing the way you'd explain it to a friend over coffee — because that's how people actually learn.
Our modules use everyday scenarios: planning for a car purchase, understanding electricity bills, comparing phone plans.Real Situations Only
Theory has its place, but we focus on the financial decisions you face this month. Rent negotiations. Emergency fund targets. Superannuation choices that matter for your age group.
Last year, 340 learners used our rental budgeting guide before signing leases.Patient Progress
Financial confidence builds slowly. We've watched people go from anxious about checking their bank balance to comfortably planning six months ahead — but that took them a year of steady learning.
Our average learner completes modules over 8-14 months, revisiting topics as their circumstances change.
Numbers That Tell Our Story
We track what matters — not vanity metrics, but real progress our learners make with their finances. These numbers represent actual people who felt more confident about money after working through our programs.
Australians currently working through our financial literacy modules as of March 2025
Typical time learners spend with us before feeling confident managing their finances independently
Practical topics covering everything from bill management to retirement planning basics
Who Builds This
We're a small team that learned about financial education the hard way — by making our own mistakes first. Now we help others skip some of those painful lessons.
Vesna Bjornstad
Co-founder, Content LeadSpent eight years as a financial counselor before realizing most people needed education before they needed crisis intervention. Built our first budgeting module on nights and weekends while still working full-time.
- Everyday budgeting strategies
- Debt management approaches
- Emergency fund planning
Torben Lindqvist
Co-founder, Program DirectorFormer high school economics teacher who watched too many graduates leave school financially unprepared. Started teaching weekend workshops, which eventually became merlaxitovo's structured learning programs.
- Superannuation fundamentals
- Investment basics for beginners
- Tax essentials for employees
How We Actually Work
Start Small
Big financial transformations sound inspiring but rarely work. We help you fix one thing this month, then build from there.
No Judgment Zone
Made financial mistakes? Join the club. Every person on our team has a story about money decisions they regret.
Context Matters
Advice that works for someone in Sydney earning $85k doesn't help someone in regional Queensland on $52k. We adjust recommendations.
Update Regularly
Tax rules change. Interest rates shift. We review every module quarterly and update when Australian financial realities change.
Questions About Our Approach?
We're happy to explain how our programs work and whether they'd suit your situation. No pressure, just honest conversation about financial education.
Get In Touch
Learning Format
Our programs run entirely online with a mix of self-paced modules and optional monthly group sessions. You can work through content whenever suits your schedule.
Most learners spend 3-4 hours per week on coursework, though that varies depending on which topics you're tackling and how much time you have available.
Next enrollment period opens September 2025 for programs starting October.
Community Learning Space
While most learning happens individually, we run optional monthly meetups in Canberra where learners discuss progress and share what's working. About 30% of our members attend these — they're helpful but not required.