ADHD Money Talk

Listener Louise writes: "I'm very good at saving. I love watching my savings balance grow and have gamified this process in many different ways to make it interesting and exciting. The problem is that impulse spending kicks in with whatever I'm into at that moment, and suddenly all my savings are gone. How I can stop this happening?"

This problem is common among ADHDers, but I have some practical tips f...

Are you someone with ADHD who's struggling to get a handle on your finances? Well, you're not alone. Many people with ADHD find it challenging to manage their finances, leading to financial stress and anxiety.

But fear not! There is a way out of this financial mess, which could start with making sacrifices.

The Challenge: Make One BIG Sacrifice

I work with so many people who are one sacrifice aw...

Listener Rebecca has transformed from being an impulsive spender to now hyper-fixating on saving and investing.

In today's episode, we discuss the potential struggles with money vigilance and how being close to the financial world can make personal financial decisions harder.

We also explore the decision-making process for buying a car while saving for a house and retirement. We emphasize the importance of ...

Money does not have to lead us to this life of dependence and scarcity. We were just taught wrong. We weren't taught how money really works. No class in high school shows us how to become wealthy and financially free.

Listen in to hear:

• We were never taught how money really works
• The biggest difference between the poor and the wealthy
• Right mindset but wrong brain

Audiobooks to "read":

Ri...

A listener asked me this question, "What does one do if, after adding up fixed expenses, there is no money leftover and nothing to cut back on?"

Listen in as we assess the situation and I help address:

• Viewing Wants as Needs
• Food Prices increased 17%
• Reducing credit card interest rates
• Consolidating debt
• Cutting the Cord and Streaming instead
• Making More
• What you truly want

Of course, I don't...

Continually eating out hampers our ability to build our financial future. How do you avoid reaching for your phone and ordering from food delivery services like DoorDash, and GrubHub when it brings so much fulfillment and joy?

Ways to Get Your Food Spending Under Control

• Create a spending journal to track the frequency and total dollar amount you spend each week
• Set a fixed dollar amount for eating out each mon...

Are your weekends and weeknights spent devouring freshly prepared delights brought to you by your local food delivery services like DoorDash, GrubHub, or Uber Eats?

Services like this are attractive to those of us with ADHD because it is a quick, easy decision and eliminates having to prepare a meal. The downside, of course, is the cost of these services.

What is your food habit costing you?

A quick rule ...

As we begin looking ahead into the new year and what we want for our financial goals, it is important that you also reflect on how you did last year to ensure you do not repeat any undesirable spending behavior.

Your order of operations

Here is a quick recap of what your order of operations should be for 2023:

• Establish an emergency fund to cover, at a minimum, three to six months of expenses
• Pay off a...

The term happiness comes from the Old Norse term “happ,” meaning “luck” or “chance.” In the context of the Declaration of Independence, happiness was about an individual’s contribution to society rather than pursuits of self-gratification.

Joy is a quality of the Soul. It is magnificent, divine, confirming, and otherworldly. Joy lives naturally and eternally within us all.

Where is Your Focus?

Money alone...

Christmas shopping isn’t the only important item on your end-of-the-year list of things to do. There are several financial items you should also check to set yourself up for a great 2023 and potentially save money on taxes this year and get a bigger refund.

Top Ten End-Of-Year Financial Checklist

1. Make sure you have not been paying too little tax on your income this year using the IRS paycheck checkup tax withho...

I was blessed and excited to be a guest on Eric Tivers’ ADHD Rewired podcast.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• The shame we can feel around our finances
• How to use our values to help guide our financial planning
• How to get past the mental clutter when facing our finances
• Ways to stay consistent with financial management

You’ll also hear some strategies for tackling debt against spending, why “budget” is a “dirty’ word, th...

Lifestyle creep, or lifestyle inflation, is a real issue that can affect anyone - especially those of us with ADHD. When our income goes up, it's natural to want to spend more and enjoy life more. But if we're not careful, we can end up in a situation where we're making more money but have less saved. This can be a real problem when we hit a financial snag or want to retire. Suddenly, all those nice things we've...

Greed and selfishness are often seen as negative character traits, but what if they're actually symptoms of a bigger issue? In this episode, we'll explore the three differences between people with and without ADHD when it comes to greed and selfishness. We'll also outline a system that was used to get control, understanding, and change.

Why is it important to understand the difference between people with ADH...

You've spent six months repairing your financial situation. You are completely out of debt. But now you are tired prone to a slip-up. Your credit cards with zero balances are staring at you begging to be used. This is the most important time of your journey, and when you may be the most vulnerable!

This episode originally aired March 21, 2022.

Want to work with me?
Check out my ADHD Planning & Coachin...

In this final episode of the budgeting workshop, we will complete the remaining steps to implement your budget, allowing you to concentrate on being intentional with your spending.

If you just joined us and would like to start the series from the beginning, here is a quick recap of the episodes: 

• Ep. 40, Part 1 Income and Fixed Expenses
• Ep. 41, Part 2 Variable Expenses
• Ep. 42, Part 3 Analyzing Expenses
• Ep. 43, Part 4 Selecting the R...

When you have ADHD, you must be mindful about setting goals to stay motivated and on track.

• Identify the goal
• Write out the purpose of the goal and why it is important
• Decide on one action step or small task you can do today that would bring you closer to your goal

The ‘Financial Order of Operations’ is one method to help break down the process of identifying goals to focus on first.

The Financial Order of Operations

Identifying your financial purpose when setting up a budget allows us to maintain our focus on the process and our motivation moving forward.
 
I've created and shared two documents for you to use as you follow this series. The first is a spreadsheet on the reversed budget methodology, which you can find the link under the resource links at the bottom of the page to download and follow along. The second is a Google for...

ADHDers like organization and structure, so they get excited about setting up a budget. However, following the method over the long term rarely works if we don't spend the extra time setting up an automated system to keep us going when we don't feel like following the process.

I've created and shared a spreadsheet on the reversed budget methodology under the resource links at the bottom of the page for you t...

Establishing a budget doesn't need to be an uncomfortable experience. Once the basic elements are in place and you become familiar with the process, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it will be to manage money.

I've created a spreadsheet on the reversed budget methodology, which you can find under the resource links at the bottom of the page to download and follow along.

The first step in s...