Fall Online Cohort: November 1 - December 31 (Registration closes October 31)
Tier A Pricing: $897
Tier B Pricing: $597
Tier C Pricing: $297
See our Pricing Policy for more information on tiered pricing.

PUGS is about both learning and community. Register with a friend and get 25% off with the code YOUVEGOTAFRIEND

"The experience of taking this class with a community of learners was so deeply meaningful. It helped me see behind the curtain of capitalism, consumerism, and debt." - Tania

"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 Adair

This course will help you examine the reality of living in a world where money matters and help you take ownership of your relationship with capitalism and consumerism. This is a self-paced online course, meaning you can take it wherever you are (even if you don't live in Portland) and according to your own schedule. You will be in an online community where you challenge and support each other as you work through the lessons. You have two months to complete 32 lessons, each about 30-60 minutes long. It’s work. And it’s transformative.

You will dig into the larger picture of money in your life, understanding the largely unconscious and unexamined beliefs you have about money, and consider how they affect you. You'll learn the seven levels of financial maturity, from financial dependence, or living paycheck to paycheck, to saving conventionally, and, lastly, having financial freedom. We'll explore the influence of your family background and the hidden assumptions of consumption and debt in our capitalist system. The course is about reclaiming ownership of your time, attention, and energy, and freeing yourself to do what you want to and were meant to do.

• Feel more empowered and in control about money and your finances

• Have a budget that aligns with your values

• Know how much you need to retire

• Cut your monthly expenses

• Have a goal for when to retire

• Feel more comfortable talking about money to others

The course is work. It’s doing math, it’s emotional work, it’s a serious reexamination of your lifestyle and beliefs. It’s also worth it. People who have finished the course report saving $100-$800 per month more because of the changes they made . In other words, the course pays for itself many times over for those willing to do the work.

Module 1: Understanding money. Talking about money is taboo in our society, which means we aren’t often aware of our relationships 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.

Module 2: Reducing consumption. The personal savings rate only has two components: spending and production. We'll talk about the profound personal and global implications of taking control of the first: consumption. How do consumption and debt increase stress in your life? How do they affect the world environmentally? How does a culture of more systemically keep people in a cycle of chronic dissatisfaction?

Module 3: Writing your manifesto and making a budget. No matter where you are on the path, working towards financial independence moral vision and willingness to change. You’ll draft your financial manifesto and learn about the behaviors and attitudes that ensure financial security. We’ll discuss “real hourly wage” and the miracle of compound interest, both in debt and in investing. Then you'll make one-year, five-year, and long-term budgets that match your values, aspirations, and priorities.

Ultimately, financial freedom is about desiring and believing in a different future than a consumer capitalist one. It's about being able to take care of your loved ones while making creative contributions to the world without waiting until you're 65. Read about Douglas's own experience of achieving financial freedom by age 42.

You have two months to complete 32 lessons (about 30-60 minutes apiece). You'll have support and accountability from other students in an online discussion board, as well as Douglas, the instructor. The class community is important, so be prepared to share and contribute on the online discussion board; it's where a lot of the learning comes from.