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ADHD Guide: How to Reduce Impulse Spending

David DeWitt, CFP® : May 17, 2024 12:00:00 PM

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In a society where instant gratification has become a pleasure seeker by many on a daily basis, saving can become a challenge when surrounded by so many temptations. Impulse spending is a familiar foe for many of us with ADHD, particularly when marketing is constantly encouraging us to spend our hard-earned savings on short-term fulfilment. This leads us to feeling pressured to make purchases while silently sabotaging our long-term financial goals. So how can we reduce our impulse spending so we can get back on track with our savings goals?

Introducing Friction into our Impulse Spending

To break free from the cycle of impulsive spending, we must introduce friction into our financial decisions. Friction, in this context, means creating tangible, meaningful actions that serve as barriers against impulse purchases. These barriers could look like opting to only carry cash when going out or requiring an app to be accessed before every purchase. Introducing these barriers can serve as a powerful strategy in curbing impulse spending by adding an additional step between you and the purchase.

For instance, when only using cash as payment, each transaction becomes a deliberate choice, requiring conscious thought and consideration as you part with a physical currency. This simple yet effective tactic forces us to pause and evaluate the necessity of each purchase, reducing the likelihood of succumbing to impulse buys. Moreover, the interaction with these barriers creates awareness of the regularity of these spending habits, empowering us to choose stay within budget and prioritize our financial goals.

Creating Achievable Goals

Establishing clear and tangible goals is essential in redirecting our focus from short-term desires to long-term aspirations. Goals provide a sense of purpose and direction, anchoring us in our commitment to our financial well-being. Whether it's saving for a dream vacation, building an emergency fund, or investing in retirement, each goal represents a milestone on the journey towards financial freedom.

Moreover, goals serve as powerful motivators, inspiring us to resist the allure of impulse purchases in favor of realizing our larger aspirations. Designating separate accounts for specific goals can also help us visualize the outcomes and make each deposit feel like a reward. By assigning concrete labels to our savings accounts, we can introduce a level of accountability that deters us from dipping into our funds haphazardly. Setting these specific, achievable goals and aligning our spending habits accordingly can encourage us to practice discipline and resilience, and results in a sense of empowerment in our financial lives.

Utilising Investments to Curb Impulse Spending

Investing can be a great tool to reinforce long-term financial discipline. Unlike savings accounts, investments impose greater barriers to withdrawal, fostering a sense of commitment and restraint, while also allowing our money to work for us. Diversifying our financial portfolios and channeling our savings towards investments leaves less easily accessible cash around to be spent on unnecessary expenses. Particularly for those with ADHD, the barrier to access money combined with the ability to watch the money’s value grow over time can be very impactful in encouraging us to leave that money where it is.

Setting you up to Conquer Impulse Spending

Ultimately, conquering impulsive spending requires introspection, discipline, and a steadfast commitment to our financial goals. With each mindful decision, we move closer to financial freedom and a life enriched by purpose, stability, and abundance. It's a journey marked by resilience and incremental progress, so we must learn to embrace delayed gratification, prioritize our long-term well-being, and pave the way for a brighter financial future.