Typical Financial Advice VS the Neurodivergent Reality

How Neurodivergent Strategies Differ from Traditional Financial Advice

Managing money is tricky for anyone, but neurodivergent individuals—those with ADHD, autism, or related conditions—often face unique challenges. While conventional financial advice works for many, it can fall short for those whose brains don’t thrive on structure or simplicity. In this article, we’ll compare standard financial advice (neurotypical) to neurodivergent-friendly strategies, exploring what works, what doesn’t, and why.

Budgets

Typical: Create and Stick to a Budget
Typical advice suggests creating a monthly budget with fixed categories and tracking every expense. Apps like Mint or spreadsheets are popular tools.

NeuroDivergent: Make a Flexible Spending Plan
Many neurodivergent people struggle with rigid systems. Instead, use an app like YNAB (You Need a Budget) or Goodbudget, which emphasizes real-time adjustments and prioritizing categories like “fun money” to prevent burnout.

Bills

Typical: Use a Calendar for Bill Reminders
Calendar alerts and to-do lists are the go-to method for remembering due dates. Some people also set recurring manual reminders.

NeuroDivergent: Automate and Visualize Payments
Automating bills eliminates reliance on executive function. Pair this with a visual tool, like sticky notes or a whiteboard, showing when major bills are deducted—providing tangible accountability.

Purchasing

Typical: Avoid Impulse Purchases by Waiting 24 Hours
The advice to wait 24 hours before making non-essential purchases works for people who can delay gratification or mentally track goals.

NeuroDivergent: Use “Impulse Control Apps” and Visual Cues
Use apps like Qapital, which can lock spending money away, or create visual deterrents like sticky notes on your credit card with reminders of your larger financial goals.

Saving

Typical: Save 20% of Your Income Automatically
Many financial planners advise setting up automatic transfers of 20% of your paycheck into savings.

NeuroDivergent: Build a “Chaotic System” for Saving
Neurodivergent brains often thrive on gamified systems. Use apps like Habitica to treat saving like leveling up in a game or set up “fun jars” where saving feels like play, not obligation. Start with micro-savings (e.g., $5/day).

Retirement Savings

Typdical: Plan for Retirement Early
Conventional wisdom advises contributing to a 401(k) or IRA as early as possible and sticking with long-term plans.

NeuroDivergent: Focus on the Present with Tangible Milestones
Focusing on distant goals can feel abstract or unmotivating. Reframe retirement as “future freedom” and attach short-term rewards to saving benchmarks—like hitting $1,000 in savings and treating yourself to something modest.

Tracking Finances

Typical: Track Every Expense Daily
Neurotypical advice often pushes detailed daily expense tracking via apps or manual methods.

NeuroDivergent: Focus on Categories, Not Every Penny
Instead of overwhelming yourself, track spending by categories that matter to you, such as “eating out” or “hobbies.” Use ADHD-friendly tools like Simplifi, which auto-categorizes transactions.

Subscriptions

Typical: Limit Subscriptions to Save Money
Advice to cut out unused subscriptions assumes an easy ability to assess and cancel unnecessary expenses.

NeuroDivergent: Regular “Audit Days” with a Friend
Many neurodivergent individuals benefit from accountability. Schedule a monthly subscription “audit day” with a friend or family member to go through expenses together. External accountability adds motivation.

Food

Typical: Meal Plan to Save on Food Costs
Traditional advice promotes detailed weekly meal plans and shopping lists to minimize food waste and costs.

NeuroDivergent: Use ADHD-Friendly Grocery Strategies
Opt for low-executive-function solutions like meal kits (HelloFresh) or a rotating “capsule menu” of easy-to-make meals. Focus on buying versatile staples rather than detailed plans that feel overwhelming.

Rewarding Behavior

Typical: Use Traditional Rewards for Motivation
Neurotypical strategies for saving often emphasize simple rewards, like buying something special after saving for six months.

NeuroDivergent: Personalize Rewards and Avoid Overload
Design rewards tailored to hyper-fixations or sensory preferences (e.g., a cozy blanket or a favorite treat). Use smaller, frequent rewards to maintain momentum rather than waiting months.

Debts

Typical: Pay Off Debt Using the Snowball Method
The snowball method involves paying off the smallest debt first to build motivation, then working up to larger debts.

NeuroDivergent: Reframe Debt Management as Short-Term Wins
Visualizing debt payoff can make it feel less overwhelming. Use debt-tracking apps with colorful progress charts (e.g., Undebt.it) to see immediate wins. Pair this with setting autopay for minimums to reduce decision fatigue.

Why This Matters

The Neurotypical View

Neurotypical strategies often rely on self-discipline, routine, and abstract thinking about the future. These approaches assume a baseline level of executive function and reward sensitivity, which neurodivergent people may experience differently.

Be mindful that your strategies may not resonate with everyone. Offer support to neurodivergent friends by helping them find tools that align with their needs. It's hard to put yourself into the shoes of others let alone their brains, but please understand that what is easy for you might not be for others and what's hard for you might be impossible for them.

The Divergent Perspective

Neurodivergent individuals often need systems that work with their unique brain wiring rather than against it. ADHD brains, for example, are more motivated by novelty and immediacy, while autistic individuals might excel with highly customized, repetitive structures.

Don’t force traditional systems if they don’t work. Experiment with apps, gamification, and visual cues to create sustainable habits. Keep at it until you find what works for you. There's no one-size-fits-all.

By recognizing these differences, we can create inclusive strategies that empower everyone to achieve financial success—no matter how their brain works.