Money and ADHD is a big, ugly topic. Managing money requires systems, follow-through, and attention to detail. Last I checked, those weren’t high on the list of things people with ADHD are naturally good at. I get it. I have my own shady relationship with handling finances. It took me a few years to create ADHD-friendly money systems that stick. I’m happy Maya has become more aware of her ADHD and money challenges. Awareness is the start of ADHD Success.  – dr

This week’s ADHD Success Club module, we looked at money and ADHD and focused on becoming a wise money manager. Luckily for me, in my household, my husband handles most of the bills and finances. First, as I listened to the common money and ADHD challenges, I felt really good about how I live within my means as well as my well-balanced husband who does a great job with bills and taxes. While we don’t have a budget, we aren’t big spenders.

The more I listened the more I realized that I don’t have a clue what my financial challenges are because I am completely and totally unaware of where our family is financially. Just like Dana, when I first married my husband, I handed all my finances to him. I showed him how to login to the bank account. Unlike Dana, I haven’t looked back since that day. At this point, I don’t even know how to login to our bank account. It’s been too easy to avoid my ADHD money challenges.

To begin with, I should pick an area to run through Dana’s ADHD Money System. What I’d like to do is think about where the family is today and what we’re doing to prepare for the future. Next year I will be entering the next decade, and as a 50-year-old, I should figure out our retirement/investment status, our financial cushion status, and our college savings status.

I’m fine with not being involved in the day-to-day finances because my husband does a great job with that; however, looking forward is a good place for me to start. I will run this through Dana’s 3 step process:

1. Identify my ADHD money challenges: I am totally unaware of where my household is financially as well as how to manage accounts. I need to know these things. God forbid anything ever happens to my husband, and I am completely clueless.

2. Plug my money gaps with intentions of what I want instead. I’d like to look at where we are, what we’re investing, and if we need to start putting more money away.

3. Build strong, simple, ADHD-friendly money structures for handling finances. I think a spreadsheet or a notebook would be helpful, so I can keep up with where we are and what we’re building.

Managing money with ADHD seems like much else that Dana has taught us.

1. Become clear on my challenges and consider what needs my focus.

2. Figure out where I’d like to go, what the gaps are, and what needs my focus. Become intentional.

3. Build a simple system of structures that works. Make it task-based and focus on one area at a time. Take small simple steps forward.

Moving forward, living successfully with ADHD is really all about owning the problem, looking towards a destination, and taking small steps on the path. Some days I take more forward steps than others, but being wise in managing my life or my money with ADHD is truly all about these incremental steps.

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