ADHD and budgeting: how to build a budget or spending plan that actually holds, starting with the expense list and the preparation most budgeting advice skips, for ADHD adults and for dyslexic, dyspraxic and autistic adults who recognise the same pattern.

You downloaded the spreadsheet. You signed up to the app. And then you sat there thinking, now what?

This episode walks you through the 5 stages Esther uses to build a budget with her coaching clients, from the first expense list to following the plan.

Esther Bangura, financial coach for neurodivergent adults, official PocketSmith coach and winner of the neurodivergent and money coaching Big Ideas award, explains why a budget and a spending plan are the same thing, and why ADHD budgeting so often falls apart: unrealistic numbers, expecting the tool to do the work, skipping the preparation, and building alone. She shares how she has used one simple budgeting system for years to build an emergency fund, save for her home and pay off debt, and why executive function makes the preparation stage the one most people skip. You will learn how to start an expense list, notice where your money really goes, build your plan around your real numbers, and make one decision at a time.

Highlights

• Why a budget and a spending plan are the same thing, and the 4 real reasons ADHD budgets fall apart

• The 2 decision blockers that leave you stuck, and why you do not need more discipline

• The 5 stages of building a budget: Prepare, Notice, Build, Decide, Follow, starting with your expense list

CTA — Take the Next Step

• Book a 90 minute one to one coaching session with Esther: estherbangura.com/coaching
• Get 50% off the PocketSmith Foundation Monthly plan for the first two months: https://my.pocketsmith.com/redeem?tap_a=77627-d2024d&ref=mzjlndb&code=50OFFPREMIUM-F4RG

This is an affiliate link, which means Esther may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Esther is an official PocketSmith coach, listed in their coaching directory as a neurodivergent money coach.

• Read the ND Money Report: estherbangura.com/nd-money-report
• Questions, feedback and reviews: estherbangura.com/ask

Related episodes

83 | Neurodivergent Budgeting: The 7 Budgeting Categories I Use With Every Client

35 | Why Budgeting Feels Impossible for ADHD Brains and How to Fix It

47 | Executive Dysfunction + Automation | Tools That Do the Work for Your Brain

53 | What Is A ADHD, Neurodivergent & Money Coaching Session Really like