Money is rarely just about math—it’s about stories, habits, emotions, and, for ADHDers, often a deep sense of shame. In this episode, Pete and Nikki sit down with Nicole Stanley, financial coach and founder of Arise Financial Coaching, to unpack the hidden ways ADHD intersects with our finances—and how we can finally start to build a healthier, ADHD-friendly relationship with money.

Nicole shares her own diagnosis journey and the challenges of postpartum depression, financial anxiety, and feeling “not enough” as a new mom. From there, she walks us through how our early experiences shape money beliefs (most of us make up our financial mindset by age seven!), and why traditional budgeting advice so often fails the ADHD brain.

This conversation is a blueprint for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed, behind, or just exhausted trying to “do money right.” Nicole reframes key concepts: how to spot the real root of your financial stress, why automating your systems might be better than trying to “budget harder,” and how to emotionally connect to your goals so you’re actually excited to follow through.

Plus: what financial coaches really do, how ADHDers can leverage dopamine to create a positive money loop, and the five core financial problems that every person needs to identify before they can move forward. Whether you’re in credit card debt, unsure where your money’s going, or just sick of feeling behind—this episode is your permission to drop the shame and start where you are.

Links & Notes

• Arise Financial Coaching
• YNAB (You Need A Budget)
• Become a Supporting Member
• Join the ADHD Discord Community
• Dig into the podcast Shownotes Database

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• The Simple Path to Wealth by J.L. Collins
• Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez
• I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
• Happy Money by Ken Honda
• You mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?! by Kate Kelly & Peggy Ramundo
• Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins

• (00:00) - Introducing Nicole Stanley
• (01:55) - Nicole's ADHD Journey
• (04:43) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (07:30) - ADHD Money Assumptions
• (13:17) - The Areas of our Financial Lives
• (17:57) - What does it mean to "retire well?"
• (33:22) - The Five Potential Problems in Your Financial Life
• (40:37) - Coaching, Counseling, Advising, Accounting

GPS is Now Open! Visit https://takecontroladhd.com/gps to learn more and take control of your planning today!

Money and ADHD: two words that often stir up stress, shame, or avoidance. But what if we stopped thinking of planning as punishment and instead saw it as a path to clarity, confidence, and even peace of mind? This week, Pete and Nikki welcome Ben Barlowe and Ernie Reppe—the Budget Nerds of YNAB—to talk about why the word budgeting is going out of style and how we’re still all-in on the money mindset.

They share how to build a money mindset that’s about purpose, not restriction, and why giving every dollar a job is the simple shift that makes all the difference. From impulse spending and forgotten bills to shame spirals and the fear of facing financial reality, this conversation gets real about the unique challenges ADHD brings to money management—and how to take the sting out of them.

Whether you’re brand new to planning your finances or you’ve tried before and burned out, this is your invitation to make peace with your money and take back control.

Links & Notes

• Getting Started with YNAB with Ben and Ernie
• YNAB for High Income Earners
• Get your 34-day Trial of YNAB
• Support the Show on Patreon
• Dig into the podcast Shownotes Database

• (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (03:08) - Become a Patron at patreon.com/theadhdpodcast
• (03:29) - ADHD and Money with Ben Barlow and Ernie Reppe from the Budget Nerds
• (13:48) - The Budgeting Mindset: Give Every Dollar a Job
• (24:00) - What are the big questions to help you start your money plan?

🎯 Ready to turn your planning chaos into clarity? Take a look at Guided Planning Sessions (GPS)—from getting started to mastering your weekly routines. Whether you’re just picking your tools or refining a system that finally sticks, GPS gives you the structure, support, and community you need to make it happen. Explore more and join today at TakeControlADHD.com/GPS.

GPS is Now Open! Visit https://takecontroladhd.com/gps to learn more and take control of your planning today!

Side hustles can be exciting, creative, and empowering—especially when you have ADHD. But they can also be overwhelming, unsustainable, and, let’s be real, joy-draining if you’re not careful. In this kickoff to our new series on ADHD and money, we’re talking all things side gig—from handmade crafts and tutoring gigs to late-night freelance projects and full-on mini-businesses. We break down the benefits and challenges of turning your interests into income, while exploring the emotional and executive function landmines that too often get left out of the conversation.

We look at the upsides: hyperfocus, creativity, independence, and the opportunity to build something meaningful on your own terms. And we also name the hard stuff: shiny object syndrome, burnout, disorganization, and the pressure to monetize every hobby. Whether you’re side hustling by choice or necessity, we’ve got practical strategies to help you stay on track—planning tools, body doubling, automation tips, and pacing ideas that won’t crush your ADHD brain.

So before you burn the midnight oil trying to ship Etsy orders and do your day job, take a breath and join us for a real talk about protecting your energy, your time, and your joy.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (03:42) - Side Hustles

🎯 Ready to turn your planning chaos into clarity? Take a look at Guided Planning Sessions (GPS)—from getting started to mastering your weekly routines. Whether you’re just picking your tools or refining a system that finally sticks, GPS gives you the structure, support, and community you need to make it happen. Explore more and join today at TakeControlADHD.com/GPS.