An holistic approach to personal finance


		Welcome to my website. My contact details are: Philip Evans Tel & fax: 020 8319 8888 E-mail: philip@moneyabuse.org


					Watch this space for a new website coming soon!

		Economic wellbeing and financial education I explain personal finance education skills to teenagers, develop teaching materials to be used by other and conduct continuous professional development training for teachers. I take an holistic approach because economic wellbeing is a result of not just having crucial skills, like budgeting and using credit constructively, but of developing healthy attitudes towards money and wealth. Most of my experience is teaching Years 10-13 and e2e learners.

					click the image to download my latest book as a PDF file


		Personal financial education (PFE) Financial education must include strategies for defending our money, as well as controlling it. We are all at risk of identity theft and scams, and so we need to beware of the dangers and know what to do if we’re caught out. We also need to be able to recognize marketing tactics that get us to spend more than we’d intended or buy stuff that isn’t really important to us. I tailor all my courses to the ability and needs of the audience and the time available. Prices depend to some extent on geographic location, but not on audience size, and discounts are available for multiple bookings. Please call me to discuss how I can best help you. The basic teaching modules are: why we need to handle money well knowing ourselves well enough to budget effectively knowing how to budgeting knowing how to stick to a budget in a world that wants us to spend like everyone else balancing risk and reward when saving and borrowing savings, investments and pensions choosing current and savings accounts understanding how credit works knowing how to use credit constructively mortgages protecting ourselves from identity theft tackling to money problems strategies to enhance our future Economic wellbeing is essential to a person’s health and wholeness. Research at Royal Holloway University, published in 2004, demonstrated that students burdened with debt did less well than expected in their final exams. Professor Bernice Andrews said, ‘This is the first study to show that financial difficulties among students are having a direct impact on their mental health which then leads on to reductions in their academic performance’. Professor E Thomas Garman at Virginia Tech University has shown that people who are financially confident are better workers. He says, ‘Employees with money problems are like sharks swimming around the workplace taking bites out of the bottom line.’ Link: www.ethomasgarman.net . I have written some articles about financial education, which you can see below Why ‘Money Abuse’? Money is essential to civilisation. Without money we couldn’t maintain complex, interdependent communities. You can’t pay for roads, schools, hospitals, police or the first service using barter. Electricity, gas, telephone and most other modern facilities would be impossible without money. Money is the key to almost everything. It is, therefore, in all our interests that we all use money properly. But as important as money is, it shouldn’t rule our lives. If lacking money keeps us from pursuing a dream, or if accumulating money becomes the purpose of life, we compromise what it means to be fully human. When we use money well, it helps us to live the way we like and achieve our personal goals. But abusing money can destroy lives as effectively as alcohol, drugs or any substance abuse. That’s why I want to help people use, not abuse, money.

		Useful Links Personal Finance Education Group (pfeg) The one stop shop for teaching personal finance. http://www.pfeg.org/ DebtCred The High Sheriffs' financial literacy project. You can download Serious Money by Philip Evans. http://www.debtcred.org.uk/ Professor Thomas E Garman Personal Finance Employee Education Foundation http://www.ethomasgarman.net/ Financial Service Authority - Money Made Clear Good impartial information for consumers. http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/ Citizens' Advice - online advice http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/ National DebtLine Free telephone helpline; 0808 808 4000 http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/ Money Advice Scotland To find a local advice centre in Scotland. http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/ National Union of Students Lots of useful information about university life and finances. http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/ Bailiff Advice Online The name speaks for itself - comprehensive, specialist advice! http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/ Credit, Collections & Risk (CCR) magazine Lots of useful background about the credit industry. http://www.ccrmagazine.co.uk/ Enforcement Law Reform Group Membership information. (The website is hosted by CCR magazine.) http://www.elrg.org.uk/