Head in the Sand

“Money is stupid.” I read that on a bumper sticker a couple years ago. The driver of the car to which it was affixed was probably a lot younger than I am. This is a college town, after all.

But I totally agreed with the sentiment.

And maybe that’s all I’ll say about the topic of personal finance before I thrust my head back into the sand.

OK, actually, I’ve got to give myself credit for taking my head out of the sand on a few occasions. To redo a mortgage (I studied enough to save us from signing up for a really bad one, in the process learning what negative amortization means). To look at divorce-related finances (I can now tell you in detail why some of my state’s child-support formulas don’t fit for everyone). To set up a system for paying bills (I actually use it, at least most of the time).

Still, I need a lot of help. Like, really a lot. If you do too, here are a few resources.

• Another blog is what got me thinking about the topic of money (not that my own financial worries don’t weigh on me all the time, even when my head is in the sand—funny how that works). The blog is Adult ADD and Money, and it’s about nothing but ADD and personal finance.

• If you have ADD, you’re likely just as disorganized with your money as with the rest of your life. You’re certainly not alone. Here’s a CHADD article on adult ADD and finances.

• For those of us with ADD, it can be helpful to use really simple systems to track money. Here's a short article in ADDitude magazine on simplifying finances.

• You don’t have to be a compulsive spender or in debt to get help from Debtors Anonymous (DA), a twelve-step group. DA also helps people with underearning, poor saving habits, and vagueness and chaos around money. (Um, any of that sound as familiar to you as it does to me?) The combination of structure and nonjudgmental support can be really useful for those of us with ADD. It may be worth a try if you're having trouble implementing all those great suggestions in the other resources.

Comments

[Mandy]

My ex has ADD but was reluctant to admit it or talk about the challenges it presented for him. On finances, he'd get bank statements and never even open them. Even for people without ADD, simple systems to track money are important. And I always think, the simpler the system, the more likely you are to stick to it.

[Claire Walter]

Bills need to be paid on time, and there needs to be money to do so. But other than that, I'm not sure how much organization is necessary. Being a freelancer, I keep every scrap of paper that could be a receipt for anything. I have an old-fashioned office spindle, and I spike 'em all. I used to meticulously organize them all at the end of the year. Now, I just put them into one big envelope, and I figure I'll only organize them if I'm audited (heaven forbid). Why go through the tedious task for no reason?

[attention to life]

This is a topic that has been on my mind a lot...and I HATE it! I wish money wasn't necessary. Thanks for the resources, though.

All good wishes,

Anne