Financial Literacy and ADHD – Money, Mistakes, and Learning the Hard Way

Let’s talk money.

Not the flashy kind with yachts and investment portfolios. I mean the real stuff—bills, debt, impulse buys, budgeting apps, and that sinking feeling when your card gets declined at Tesco.

I grew up without much. Council estate life doesn’t come with lessons in financial planning. You learn fast—or you don’t eat. But ADHD made learning about money even harder. It’s not just about being “bad with money.” ADHD affects how we make decisions, process consequences, and handle stress.

Here’s what ADHD and money looks like for me:

• I once gave away my phone to someone who needed it… and forgot to cancel the bill. It cost me thousands.

• I’ve bought gadgets on a whim, convinced they’d change my life, only for them to gather dust.

• I’ve missed payments, not because I didn’t have the money—but because I forgot the due date.

• I’ve signed up to trials and subscriptions I forgot to cancel.

• I’ve had months where I lived like a millionaire, followed by months where I borrowed just to get by.

And then came the shame.

ADHD and shame go hand in hand. “Why can’t I just get it together?” “Why do I keep messing this up?” “Why am I like this?” But beating myself up never helped. What did help was understanding that ADHD affects executive function—things like planning, impulse control, and memory. Once I saw that, I could stop blaming myself and start adapting.

Here’s what’s helped me:

• Automation: Every bill I can put on direct debit, I do. One less thing to forget.

• Visual budgeting: I use apps like YNAB (You Need A Budget) and colour-coded spreadsheets. If it’s not visual, I’ll ignore it.

• The 24-hour rule: No big purchases without waiting a day. That stops the dopamine rush from winning.

• Accountability: My wife and I check in monthly. We’re a team. No more secret spending.

• Therapy: Talking to someone helped me untangle the emotional side of money.

I also started learning. Slowly. In my 30s. Because it’s never too late.

I read books like The Psychology of Money, watched YouTube videos about budgeting, and even followed neurodivergent money coaches on TikTok. And I began teaching my kids about money in simple ways, because I want them to have the tools I didn’t.

Financial literacy is survival. Especially for neurodivergent folks. And it’s not about being perfect. I still mess up. I still make impulse buys (hello, random eBay samurai sword). But I also have savings now. A budget. A plan. And, for the first time, hope.

So if you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m terrible with money,” please know: You’re not alone. And you’re not broken. You just need tools that work for your brain.

And you deserve to feel safe and confident with your money. One step at a time.