Discover how simple weekly ADHD money habits and visual systems can help you manage your finances with less stress and more flow even if budgeting has always felt overwhelming.

Kate always thought budgeting meant building a fortress. Solid. Grey. Imposing. Something that boxed her in and made her feel a little bit trapped.

Until one morning, as she sipped her tea and stared at the sunlight dancing across the kitchen floor, she had a flash of inspiration.

“It’s not a fortress at all,” she said aloud to nobody in particular. “It’s a fountain.”

A fountain, she explained later to her best friend Jennifer, was dynamic. It flowed. It filled up, it spilled over, it glittered in the sun. Budgeting wasn’t about trapping her money — it was about directing it with beauty and intention.

Money, flowing gently into the right spaces, could make life sparkle.

Jennifer was enchanted. “Tell me everything!”

So Kate did. Here’s how she turned her finances into a beautiful, life-supporting fountain — not a grey, soul-sucking fortress.

🛋️ 1. Set Up Your Core Money Spaces

First, Kate picked a bank that made it easy: Starling or Monzo. Both let you set up Spaces (or Pots) right inside your account — simple, visual, flexible.

She created a few Spaces for her key life essentials:

• Bills Space: All the must-pay things — rent, utilities, phone bills.
• Essentials Space: Food, petrol, basic clothing.
• Family Space: Kids’ activities, birthday parties, weekend outings.
• Holiday and Dreams Space: Big hopes and little adventures.
• Training and Growth Space: For courses, new skills, and future dreams.

Each Space was like a little bowl in the fountain, ready to catch the flow.

👉 Why Weekly Transfers, Not Monthly?

Even though Kate’s income came in monthly, she transferred money into her Spaces weekly. Jennifer frowned at first. “Isn’t that a lot of faff?”

Kate shook her head. “Weekly transfers are everything. Here’s why:”

• It’s easier to manage emotionally: If you overspend a little, you’re only a few days away from a fresh start. No more counting down painfully to the end of the month.
• It gives better visibility: Instead of a huge lump sum trickling down unpredictably, you get a steady, manageable flow.
• It matches real life: Groceries, petrol, birthday invites — life happens every week, not just once a month.
• It limits mistakes: If you accidentally overspend one week, you’re protected. It’s only one week’s money gone — not a whole month’s.

“It’s like a mini pay day every week,” Kate smiled. “Way less stressful.”

🌐 2. Understand Accruals (and Why You Can’t Really Do Them Here)

Jennifer, ever the curious one, asked, “But what about accruals? Didn’t you used to do those as an accountant?”

Kate laughed. “Good memory!”

In her management accountant days, Kate would use accruals to spread the cost of big bills over time. For example, if you knew your car insurance of £600 was due in six months, you’d ‘accrue’ £100 each month. It showed a truer, steadier picture of your finances.

But banks like Monzo and Starling don’t do accruals automatically. They show the cash you actually have right now. No clever “already-spoken-for” notes in the margins.

Kate’s solution?

• She created a Space for holidays.
• She drip-fed money into it weekly.
• It acted like a “real-world accrual” — without the complexity.

Simple. Visible. Flowing.

🏰 3. Make Joy a Priority

One of Kate’s biggest shifts was deciding that “joy spending” wasn’t naughty. It deserved its own Space.

• Eating out.
• Cinema trips.
• Impromptu ice creams on sunny days.

Kate’s “Family Fun” Space was a game-changer. “Instead of feeling guilty about every treat, I look — and if there’s money in the Fun Space, we go for it. Guilt-free.”

Budgeting wasn’t a prison. It was permission.

🌳 4. Teach the Kids, Too

Kate even gave her children mini Spaces — using Starling’s Kite cards.

Each child had a little weekly allowance. If they wanted a new toy or extra cinema trip, they could save up or budget their own spending. The children, adorably named Impulsa, Cashina, and Spenda, each had their own style:

• Impulsa the Elder spent all her money on glitter glue within 24 hours.
• Cashina saved for three weeks to buy a stylish hoodie.
• Spenda kept forgetting her card existed.

“It’s so empowering,” Kate said. “They’re learning now that money is a tool, not a trap.”

Plus, it stopped endless “Muuuum, can I have…” requests. Bliss.

🌿 5. Remember: It’s a Fountain, Not a Fortress

At first, Kate worried that seeing every pound “spoken for” would make her feel anxious or restricted. (It’s a common fear.)

But instead, she found freedom.

• She saw where her money went.
• She could make conscious choices.
• She had clear boundaries that reduced emotional spending.

Kate and her husband — affectionately nicknamed “Spendthrift Sam” — made a point of reviewing their Spaces together every month. But instead of turning it into a grim audit, they made it a celebration.

• They acknowledged what went well.
• They recognised where they needed tweaks.
• They refused to see results as “success” or “failure” — just learning and adjusting.

“If something isn’t working, we tweak it,” Kate said. “If we overspend, we don’t beat ourselves up. We ask, ‘What can we learn from this?’”

Overspending wasn’t a disaster. It was a signpost pointing to what needed more attention, more kindness, or a fresh strategy.

Kate also became more aware of her internal dialogue about money. Instead of telling herself, “I’m hopeless with money,” she developed a new metaphor:

“I’m tending a beautiful garden. Some plants need moving. Some beds need more water. But it’s growing. And that’s what matters.”

Positive metaphors changed everything. Money became a living, evolving thing, not a battle.

“It’s not about being perfect,” she smiled. “It’s about building something beautiful, one watering can at a time.”

Ready to start your own money fountain?

Set up your first Spaces today. Start small. Choose just two or three categories. Transfer in a weekly amount. Watch the stress melt and the clarity build.

And if you’d like a hand, I help people like Kate every day to find calm, confidence and flow in their finances — especially with ADHD in the mix.

Reach out for a free discovery call and let’s see what kind of financial future you can build. One that sparkles.

👉 Book a free ADHD Coaching Discovery Session today  📅and take the first step towards developing ADHD productivity strategies

See here for 5 ADHD Money Management Strategies for Couples: How to Talk About Money Without Stress