“Let me double check…did I pay this bill?

“I already bought 3 of these shirts already!”

“How did I forget to pay  _____  when I had it in my phone AND calendar?”

Throughout the pandemic the conversation around Mental Wellness has increased tremendously. Yet, one of the chats it hasn’t entered into more is Money Management. Yes, your mindset is one of the core foundations in which you build wealth, but certain aspects of your trek towards Mental Wellness can impact how you spend as well.

One of the things I found myself after having COVID (and the year prior) was an increase in my Anxiety. It seems like being within the Long Haul Club turned it up a notch. But it also made me a bit more critical of myself and creating systems around tracking my funds due to the brain fog. Stack Systems are critical no matter if you’re part of this club or not. Another club that needs to increase Stack Systems are those who have  or Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder   or ADHD. Around 8 to 9 Million adults have ADHD; but I feel that this could be more due to the fact that many go untreated. 

No matter which you may resonate with, they can add to the typical personal finance problems that many people face - which will make them harder to revert. While this may be deemed the “ADHD Tax” by specialists,  this is something that you can work with a therapist with along with developing Stack Systems. 

Some of the ways that this could show up in your life - 

• Forgetting to pay bills (even with multiple reminder notifications set, I get life be life-ing)

• Impulse spending (yes, you need a treat for _______ but create a budget for it - it can add up)

• Rebuying things you thought your lost or gave away (did this a few times in the past myself

• Checking to see if you paid bills last month, but you might’ve even  forgotten that.

• Certain utility bills are higher due to - forgetting.. Along with late fees..

vI talked about this a bit in June over on TikTok when I talked about using AutoPay as a way to counter your bills with ADHD and Anxiety. Another thing that I added was to have a separate account just for bills; these two things are critical.

You know when you get paid, but you could move your payment due date. Why am I saying this? This gives you enough time between your paycheck and AutoPay  to move the money without triggering an overdraft fee. And you could also set up a spreadsheet to track. I do also suggest that you know your bills and expenses (date/amount) before setting this up. 

Also, if you need a therapist - here is a good resource. And if you’re a Black Woman - here’s one for you. Ask about a sliding scale to stay on budget. 

When I say I get it, I overstand!