Q: Where can I go to take a personal finance course that's not being conducted by a brokerage firm or investment adviser?

A: The local community colleges offer workshops and non-credit courses on managing your personal finances.

The classes, among the more popular programs in the continuing education and business education programs, are conducted by longtime local financial planners David Deutsch and Brian Chang.

Deutsch, who has taught the community college classes since 1990, said the cost is $59 for individuals and $79 for couples. The classes consist of three, three-hour workshops that go over a wide range of investments such as stocks, bonds and annuities.

They also provide a general overview on how to finance your retirement and your children's education and go over some basic principles on estate planning and long-term-care insurance.

The classes also include a free private personal consultation with the instructors at the end of the course.

According to Deutsch, classes are typically full, with between 25 and 40 students who come from a broad range that includes 20-year-olds, mid-career workers and retirees on fixed income.

He said that the aim of the workshop is to teach students at a level that a high school senior could understand and avoid the jargon that's typical of the investment world.

"What we're trying to do is motivate people and give them basic tools because it's not rocket science," Deutsch said.

"When you take away the smoke and bring it down to where they can understand, you can see the light bulb goes off in their heads."

In addition to the community college programs, the University of Hawai'i outreach college has offered a number of for-credit courses on personal finance and financial planning, said Ron Wall, an extension specialist in family economics at UH-Manoa.

Wall also noted that Hono-lulu Community College televises a series of personal finance courses on cable television's 'Olelo public access channel. The eight-week courses includes one-hour sessions with several local financial planners, attorneys and bankers.

Candice O'Halloran said she benefited from the courses. About two years ago, the Kailua resident said she was worried about paying for her children's education.

After enrolling in the workshop at Kapi'olani Community College, she said she got a better grasp of how to invest and was able to do the research to set up a tax-deferred savings plan for college, known as a 529 plan, for her children.

"It got me started in taking care of my finances and got me to be more aware of it," she said.