Mr Embling said using cash is "one of the defining features of (the course), rather than credit cards.
"People have found they gained a new perspective on money that they otherwise wouldn't have had."
These are courses run in three sessions on weekday evenings.
"Most people have had a problem with money at some time in their life; it relates to everything," team member Tony Gibson said.
Jo Gibson says the courses, being workshop based following an instruction video, are "very much an open discussion - open for people to share".
"There are folk who say they've got an extra $10 they never used to have."
Cap centre manager Jacqui Lockyer has just returned from Auckland where she has been trained in debt counselling - an intensive process helping people get out of serious debt in the long term.
The money courses are "the fence at the top of the cliff," Mrs Lockyer says, whereas the debt counselling is "the ambulance at the bottom".
The debt centre takes on a limited number of clients because of the nature of the course.
"It needs to be a long-term commitment, because it's quite an intensive process," Mrs Lockyer said.
"It's not just a budgeting oranisation but we walk people through the journey out of debt ... it can take between three and five years."
Clients voluntarily commit a portion of income into a Cap account, and the service liaises with creditors to arrange achievable repayments.
"Because CAP have been in New Zealand for five years they've achieved some credibility with creditors," Mr Embling said.
In that five years Cap in New Zealand has helped 160 people in the journey out of debt.
"If someone's working with Cap they're going to get their money ... eventually they're going to get it."
Mr Embling said the service is not paid for by clients because "the church itself is a charitable organisation with the funding set up behind the scenes".
He said the aim is not to "convert" people, but those who come for help know that "in the very name, there is a Christian perspective".
"If people get out of debt, they'll be happier and better citizens ... we're not going to force them (but) we're going to give them that opportunity."
More information on Cap is available online at www.cap.org.nz, or by phoning 0508 227 111.
