Money & ADHD
This week, the theme of money has surfaced in several sessions. Managing money can be difficult because of ADHD, trauma, anxiety, substance use, or a myriad of other reasons. Trying to address tasks that could contribute to a more stable existence while battling feelings of shame and internal obstacles can be challenging. As we delve into the realm of money and finances, the negative self-talk stemming from societal messages adds another layer of difficulty. Thoughts like 'I'm so stupid' and 'I know it's so bad, everyone else can figure this out but I can't' often arise.
As we begin this information-collecting journey, instead let’s shift those statements that come up about how we are supposed to do things and know things by reminding ourselves that we get to learn about things that were never taught to us. And, we get to learn new things at any point in our life. Knowing about money and how money works can be really helpful for our anxiety and overall wellness.
Many years ago, when I started trying to adult, I received recommendations for books like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "Millionaire Mind." While the titles seemed cheesy, the insights into emotional patterns around money were helpful. "The Secrets to Six-Figure Women" stood out to me, highlighting stories of women who didn't attend college yet achieved six-figure incomes. Their experiences and insights contributed to my confidence and empowered me to navigate the world of finances.
Here are a few helpful ideas from my own journey:
Pay Yourself First: Allocate money to your savings or emergency fund before addressing debt. Often this seems impossible and yet even a small monthly contribution to savings can be impactful at
Buckets System: Categorize your money into bills, emergency savings, big expenses, and discretionary spending. This helped me understand how to let my money flow.
Learn from Stories: Reading others' stories helped me understand possibilities in my own life and shift stagnant thoughts into momentum.
Consistent Attention: Regularly attending to my finances, even if imperfectly, became a significant accomplishment. It reduced my overwhelm and increased my sense of empowerment.
Below are some people and organizations to explore. It’s always important to take what’s for you and to let the rest go. What worked for someone else is based on how their brain and nervous system work and their goals. Also, consume information in ways that work for you, there are books, TikTok, YouTube etc. Do it in a way that your brain loves.
Here are some spots you can explore on your learning journey. Many offer free things, some things will be irrelevant, just peruse my guess is you’ll find some useful nuggets to help you build your own systems.
Ellyce Fumore -I am a queer, neurodivergent, millennial financial feminist and my pronouns are she/her.
The Budgetnista - The Budgetnista is an NAACP nominee and the first Black woman to grace the cover of Money Magazine (solo)
Ellevest - Investing Platform made by and for women.
Clever Girl Finance: Offers free resources and classes.
Nancy Podcast - Money Page: Explores how queer folks navigate the economy.
Queer Money Podcast: Personal finance with a rainbow twist.
Apps and More:
YNAB (You Need A Budget): Offers free workshops.
Empower (formerly Personal Capital)
Mint is unfortunately going away.
You know I love hearing from you about what’s working for you and also if you have other ideas and suggestions! Keep me posted.