Budgets Can be Easy & Fun!

Let me set the stage: your sink is full of dishes and you would rather die than load them into the dishwasher. Your laundry is overflowing and you would rather learn calculus than fold them. It’s just so boring! And that budget? Also boring. And maybe overwhelming and anxiety-producing. 

So let’s find a way to make money fun, and create a budget that is catered to your personality.

And let’s start with: know thyself. Do you love games? Crafting? Competition? Use what works for you!

Can Budgeting Be fun?

Turning finances into a game will help. Games have structure, give you feedback, and help build momentum. All of these things are a win for the ADHD brain; they give you a sense of control while motivating you to do more.

Here are some apps that will make money more fun.

1. Yotta is an FDIC-insured bank account. 

For every $25 saved, your name is put into a drawing. So if you have $100 in your account, you get four tickets. There is a drawing every day. And the prizes are awesome; they range from cash (10 cents to 10 million dollars) to a Tesla. They also offer .20 APY (which isn't much but it still counts).

2. Zogo earns “virtual pineapples” by engaging you with educational modules. 

Trade-in virtual pineapples for gift cards or donate the cash to charity. This app provides easy ways for you to learn about finances and rewards you at the end. Win-win.

3. Design a financial competition for yourself. 

How little can you spend? How quickly can you pay off your debt? See if you can find three fun things to do a week that are free. Make it a challenge, and be sure to reward yourself with each success to help keep you motivated. Example: Buy a new coffee maker with the money you save from not buying your morning coffee. Make sure your rewards are planned out and budgeted in!

4. Budgeting Tetris. 

Create a Tetris board where each square is worth a certain amount. Fill up the board with your expenses (like rent and utilities). Then you can visualize, using different colors and shapes, how much money you have leftover after you fill-up the board. I got this idea from the Stacking Benjamins podcast, be sure to check them out.

5. Include your friends and family.

Involving your friends and family in the budgeting fun revs up those competitive juices. Having someone else doing the same thing as you are and playing to win helps you reach your goals faster.

Make Follow Through with your Budget Easy

Making your budget fun is motivating. Making your budget easy is going to help you follow through! Check out these apps to help simplify the process.

1. Digit is a cash-bucket budgeting approach where you have two checking accounts.

One for fixed expenses and the other for the money you have free to spend. It calculates your fixed expenses and automatically sets the money aside. It budgets for you! One of the first things you see when you open the app is how much spending money you have. It doesn't get any easier.

2. Qapital allows you to visualize and set up savings goals. 

This is a budget and investment app using a feature where you can do things with a partner or significant other. This is a great app for simplifying the budget process, and if you are working on budgeting with a partner, this is a great tool.

ADHD Brains Hate Being Bored

It’s true. Being bored is as terrible as it sounds. So let’s make money fun! Hop on a call with me, and we will start the process of bringing your finances under control in a light, nonjudgemental, fun, and engaging way. I will meet you where you are at, and together we will make your financial future awesome.