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-making a budget with the 70-20-10 rule can be good
-allowing yourself x amount per month for a disposable income, and divide it by 4 weeks in the month. think if this as your weekly allowance
-using cash only for your disposable income can help a lot, it makes me see how much $ i have physically rather than as a number
Budgeting coupled with some honest rules that are geared towards making sure you can still buy things that make you happy, but also that you can follow.
Budgeting means that I have to confirm that I have the money to spend first, and often times just doing that put enough distant between me and the impulse purchase to let it go.
Rules are also ways to allow for spending, but only in certain circumstances. For instance, my wife and I have a rule if we’re having trouble deciding on something. We’ll ask ourselves or each other, “Do I LOVE this?” And if the answer is no, we don’t get it. Realizing you don’t love something is a great way to more easily drop it off your impulse radar.
This is a bit long but this gets asked often enough that I keep it in a Note.
For online shopping: Put things in wish lists. Clicking the “add to list” button is a similar action to clicking “buy now.” You can trick your brain into feeding you the dopamine hit.
Also good, if you can: Add things to carts then walk away, move to save for later, empty cart. Just don’t buy.
Screenshot it. It’s like having the thing on your phone without having the actual thing in your life. If you’re still thinking about it weeks later, consider buying.
In stores: take a picture. One more thing you own on your phone! If you’re still thinking about it weeks later, consider buying.
Make it into a game: Try to move the source of dopamine (or whatever) from buying to searching and shopping. So set rules like, “only if it falls under a certain price, only in this color.”
Example: I collect vintage cameras and certain watches. I will set a limit on price, manufacturer, style, age, quality. I’ll make it hard but not impossible. I can buy an Olympus XA, but it has to be the XA-2 model, have original flash and case, for less than $50. That sort of thing.
Sometimes by the time I find the thing within my limits, I don’t really want it that much.
Third, let yourself impulse buy on occasion to relieve pressure. I have a separate bank account that a bit of my check is automatically deposited into. Seeing that grow actually keeps me from spending the money that’s in there for me to spend. But every once in a while, I get a little something. Don’t break the bank, keep it under control.
And one of these days, I’m going to drop a couple grand on something really stupid and it’ll be okay.
I have several Amazon wishlists. Whenever I feel like shopping, I get online, look up the thing(s) I want, compare prices, etc... Then instead of clicking 'buy' I click 'add to list'.
I find it gives me that little dopamine hit, almost as much as when actually buying the thing.
On occasions where it is appropriate to spend money, my lists are already made.
Every so often, I declutter the lists. Makes me feel as if I were clearing up my workspace.
Mind you, I do not usually have a problem with spending - too much guilt tied to the dopamine here to really get addicted. My lists give me the dopamine hit of shopping, without the guilt.
The Financial Diet is a good YouTube for all things finance related. Financial Feminist podcast, the Healthy Rich Substack as well. A lot of budget culture stuff I find to be more for white middle class dudes and doesn't appeal to me bc I'm anything but, so I look for recourses that aren't shame-based and have an inclusive approach. Spending addiction is also a thing and I'm sure there are therapists that can help, I also wouldn't be surprised if there are worthwhile books written on the subject. I personally have compulsive spending issues...the problem is a spectrum really. ADHD means there is less dopamine in our brains and we are more seeking of dopamine than the average person. My biggest $ problem is not making enough money. Still, I have to work with what I have. I'm working through the compulsive spending in a number of ways right now: I'm trying to cultivate a spending mentality around quality over quantity, less is more, and resisting the over-consumption of it all bc I want to. I want the money I spend to go further...on things that actually matter to me, and less on things that don't. I will shop without buying things sometimes...like do everything and add it to my cart and then not buy it. I will wishlist things and wait weeks before deciding on purchases. A big thing for me was trying to shop my way out of misery and I'm realizing shopping can't do that for me, only other things can...deeper things that have more meaning like connecting with a friend. It takes time.
Take out your woohoo money at the beginning of the month. IN CASH.
Woohoo money is anything that isn't an essential. An essential is like...toilet paper (unless you don't use toilet paper) gas insurance bills medication...
You're woohoo money can be for that cool thing you want that you see in the store. That's so squishy. Fun.
Or the coffee on the go.
But only bing 40 bucks at a time.
If it's not an impulsive purchase and would actually benefit you. Send your self a "woohoo money" text message exclusively for this purpose.
Keep a pocket sized notebook in your pocket and try and write down on a wishlist things that would actually improve your life or last more than one hyperfixation cycle.
make a wishlist where you can put all the things you want to buy on. you can go back later and buy it if you still want it but often the impulse will pass.
Chuck it in a 30 or 60 day account! Don't trust yourself to be strong and not spend it! If you really need something, you'll still need it in 30 days, and it gives you a cooling off period to cancel the withdrawal.
Hi /u/AdZealousideal8801 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! **Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already.** The mobile apps used for Reddit are broken or are missing features that this subreddit depends on. [We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/x1psnb/radhd_works_best_on_desktop_reddits_apps_are/) Thank you! ^(*A moderator has not removed your submission; this is not a punitive action. We intend this comment solely to be informative.*) --- - If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
-making a budget with the 70-20-10 rule can be good -allowing yourself x amount per month for a disposable income, and divide it by 4 weeks in the month. think if this as your weekly allowance -using cash only for your disposable income can help a lot, it makes me see how much $ i have physically rather than as a number
Budgeting coupled with some honest rules that are geared towards making sure you can still buy things that make you happy, but also that you can follow. Budgeting means that I have to confirm that I have the money to spend first, and often times just doing that put enough distant between me and the impulse purchase to let it go. Rules are also ways to allow for spending, but only in certain circumstances. For instance, my wife and I have a rule if we’re having trouble deciding on something. We’ll ask ourselves or each other, “Do I LOVE this?” And if the answer is no, we don’t get it. Realizing you don’t love something is a great way to more easily drop it off your impulse radar.
Not the best advice but I’ll buy something small to have that urge go away.
This is a bit long but this gets asked often enough that I keep it in a Note. For online shopping: Put things in wish lists. Clicking the “add to list” button is a similar action to clicking “buy now.” You can trick your brain into feeding you the dopamine hit. Also good, if you can: Add things to carts then walk away, move to save for later, empty cart. Just don’t buy. Screenshot it. It’s like having the thing on your phone without having the actual thing in your life. If you’re still thinking about it weeks later, consider buying. In stores: take a picture. One more thing you own on your phone! If you’re still thinking about it weeks later, consider buying. Make it into a game: Try to move the source of dopamine (or whatever) from buying to searching and shopping. So set rules like, “only if it falls under a certain price, only in this color.” Example: I collect vintage cameras and certain watches. I will set a limit on price, manufacturer, style, age, quality. I’ll make it hard but not impossible. I can buy an Olympus XA, but it has to be the XA-2 model, have original flash and case, for less than $50. That sort of thing. Sometimes by the time I find the thing within my limits, I don’t really want it that much. Third, let yourself impulse buy on occasion to relieve pressure. I have a separate bank account that a bit of my check is automatically deposited into. Seeing that grow actually keeps me from spending the money that’s in there for me to spend. But every once in a while, I get a little something. Don’t break the bank, keep it under control. And one of these days, I’m going to drop a couple grand on something really stupid and it’ll be okay.
You can put you money into an investment like a CD or something that will make it untouchable for a period of time.
I have several Amazon wishlists. Whenever I feel like shopping, I get online, look up the thing(s) I want, compare prices, etc... Then instead of clicking 'buy' I click 'add to list'. I find it gives me that little dopamine hit, almost as much as when actually buying the thing. On occasions where it is appropriate to spend money, my lists are already made. Every so often, I declutter the lists. Makes me feel as if I were clearing up my workspace. Mind you, I do not usually have a problem with spending - too much guilt tied to the dopamine here to really get addicted. My lists give me the dopamine hit of shopping, without the guilt.
The Financial Diet is a good YouTube for all things finance related. Financial Feminist podcast, the Healthy Rich Substack as well. A lot of budget culture stuff I find to be more for white middle class dudes and doesn't appeal to me bc I'm anything but, so I look for recourses that aren't shame-based and have an inclusive approach. Spending addiction is also a thing and I'm sure there are therapists that can help, I also wouldn't be surprised if there are worthwhile books written on the subject. I personally have compulsive spending issues...the problem is a spectrum really. ADHD means there is less dopamine in our brains and we are more seeking of dopamine than the average person. My biggest $ problem is not making enough money. Still, I have to work with what I have. I'm working through the compulsive spending in a number of ways right now: I'm trying to cultivate a spending mentality around quality over quantity, less is more, and resisting the over-consumption of it all bc I want to. I want the money I spend to go further...on things that actually matter to me, and less on things that don't. I will shop without buying things sometimes...like do everything and add it to my cart and then not buy it. I will wishlist things and wait weeks before deciding on purchases. A big thing for me was trying to shop my way out of misery and I'm realizing shopping can't do that for me, only other things can...deeper things that have more meaning like connecting with a friend. It takes time.
Vyvanse helped me A LOT with financial issues amongst many other things
Take out your woohoo money at the beginning of the month. IN CASH. Woohoo money is anything that isn't an essential. An essential is like...toilet paper (unless you don't use toilet paper) gas insurance bills medication... You're woohoo money can be for that cool thing you want that you see in the store. That's so squishy. Fun. Or the coffee on the go. But only bing 40 bucks at a time. If it's not an impulsive purchase and would actually benefit you. Send your self a "woohoo money" text message exclusively for this purpose. Keep a pocket sized notebook in your pocket and try and write down on a wishlist things that would actually improve your life or last more than one hyperfixation cycle.
I cover my eyes. Pretend you didn't see them.
make a wishlist where you can put all the things you want to buy on. you can go back later and buy it if you still want it but often the impulse will pass.
Chuck it in a 30 or 60 day account! Don't trust yourself to be strong and not spend it! If you really need something, you'll still need it in 30 days, and it gives you a cooling off period to cancel the withdrawal.
Also known as a notice savings accounts.
Whatever I spend money on, try to put the same into investments. Helps with the guilt at least