42.6% of Americans don’t plan meals ahead. 27% are living paycheck to paycheck. Only 44% could cover a $1,000 emergency right now. Half aren’t saving for retirement. ADHD? It’s a financial curveball. We tend to have a net worth 75% lower than our peers. Yeah, ouch.

But before the shame spiral kicks in—breathe. This isn’t about blaming ourselves. It’s about understanding why planning feels so impossible sometimes, and what we can actually do about it.

Let's be honest: Traditional financial advice often feels like it was written for neurotypical brains. "Just stick to a budget!" they say, as if willpower alone could overcome ADHD challenges.

Tracking your finances with ADHD isn't about perfection – it's about progress. A messy budget that you actually use is better than a perfect system that lives only in your head.

~Vanessa Dean

My attention wanes. Everyone with ADHD has this issue. We get distracted a lot. Shiny things, squirrelly things, green things, purple things, all the things distract us. To me, it isn’t enjoyable. But what if I can now push past that urge to go do something else and stay focused on the original task? If I only reach 40% of my focus capacity, I still have 60% more focus in me. And I can build on what I can already do, just like I’m doing with my running time. Just focus for five more minutes. Put in 5 more minutes worth of effort. I can build this focus muscle.

Did you know that savers can still struggle with their finances? They may be good at saving, but how about spending for enjoyment? It can honestly be a struggle.

Simply put, a no-spend month is an entire month when you don’t purchase the extras. You purchase essentials only. So, stopping at the convenience store for a soda is out. Heck, purchasing that candy bar in the checkout lane is out. A lot of our spending is out. From appliances in the kitchen (I need a new food processor) to blankets or crafting stuff, we will not purchase it. I know it sounds like torture.

You need to do a mid-year checkup on your finances to see what is working and what needs improvement. I challenge you to find three things working well and three things that need improvement. Then, devise a plan for those things that need an updated game plan.

I get overwhelmed often, and most of the time, it has to do with decisions to be made. I'm not too fond of the entire decision-making process, from figuring out the pros and cons of each option to having the foresight to predict how each option will play out. It is a challenge, but it’s a necessary skill to have for me to stop being overwhelmed.

Most of my clients come to me with very little in savings. They have a lot of debt, spend every penny, and have no savings. Which is a sad state to be in. When we build the first budget, we realize there is no cushion between them and life, which is a problem.