You need an ADHD-Specific Financial Plan!

I know. You have ADHD, and I'm telling you to have a plan. Jokes on me, right? And I get it. Because your glorious brain works the way it does, there’s a high chance that planning your financial future is not on your radar.

And it’s my mission in life to change that. 

I have ADHD, and I have been exactly where you are. Yup. I was a financial planner with no personal financial plan. What I did have was an expensive tendency towards impulsive spending, especially if it was related to golf. 

And anxiety. I had so much financial anxiety. 

Because you have ADHD, your relationship to money is most likely just as messy as mine was. And there are multiple scientific studies to back that probability up.¹ 

But I have good news. You can rewire your brain and learn how to save money.

You can buy a house, get out of debt, and retire. You can pay for your children’s college.

You don’t need to wish for financial security anymore! It can be yours.

I am passionate about helping folks with ADHD learn how to manage money. I have taken my own life experiences and turned them into an ADHD-specific financial plan, that is catered to you. And we are going to start by finding your ‘Why.’

Find Your ‘Why’

Yes! We are starting at the beginning. Why is it important to you to save money? When you know ‘why', saving money is exciting. And because the ‘why’ is yours, you are more likely to follow through.

That’s why we start with Your One-Page Financial Plan.

Get out a piece of scrap paper and your favorite pen. It’s important that you do this by hand because your brain works differently when you do.² 

Ask yourself: 

Why is money important to me? 

–Write down the first thing that comes to your mind. 

Then ask why again.

–What about (your answer here) is important to me?

And then ask why again.

And again. Go deeper, until you can’t go any further.

Here is what this process looked like for me. 

–Why is money important to me?

*Because it allows me to buy things and experiences.

–What about buying things and experiences is important to me?

*It allows me to live a more exciting and full life.

–What about living a more exciting and full life is important to me?

*It’s important to me because I want my time on this planet to be meaningful.

–What about having a more meaningful time on the planet is important to you?

*It’s important to me because I want to leave a positive impact on the world and my family and friends.

–What about leaving a positive impact on the world, family, and friends is important to me?

*It’s important to me because it’s the way I’ll know that I have fulfilled my purpose in life.

Knowing your ultimate why is crucial to saving money. Willpower isn’t enough. You need an incentive. 

Which is where your goals come in. Let’s add some fun to your ultimate why. Go big! What is your ultimate desire? Buy a house? Go on vacation? Get out of debt? Pay for your kids' college? Retire?

Now, let’s put it all together and tape it to your fridge. That’s right, you are going to look at that bad boy every single day. 

Get a nice piece of paper. On the top write your ‘Why’. The grounding financial principle that you want at the forefront of your thoughts every time you want to spend money. 

Under that write your goals. It can be a timeline, or just a list. Place your estimated cost beside each goal. But don’t worry about the numbers just yet. It’s on your radar for now, and we are going to come up with a plan for that together!

Then, share it with an accountability buddy. A spouse, parent, friend.  Someone who you will check in with, and you can ask to check in on you. This is a journey best taken with a friend.

Got it? Congratulations! You have now found your core financial value. Your financial north star. And when you go to spend money, think: is this purchase in alignment with the paper taped to my fridge? 

Financial peace of mind is possible. Especially for you. 

Questions? Suggestions? Would you like to know more? 

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Sources:

1.https://academic.oup.com/rof/article-abstract/25/4/1129/5824803?redirectedFrom=fulltext

2.https://www.forbes.com/sites/nancyolson/2016/05/15/three-ways-that-writing-with-a-pen-positively-affects-your-brain/?sh=4d9fe2dd5705