Recently, I consolidated some debt into my credit card. I am not going to go into the details, but after reviewing my finances I have made my main financial focus to pay off the balance on this card within 18 months. I believe that this is a slightly ambitious goal but also one that is achievable with a little persistence and a little sacrifice.

Focusing on one key financial goal is generally a good idea for someone with ADD. Having one large goal is easier to focus on because it should have a significant impact on your life, it is also easier to track versus having several smaller goals. In the past I lost financial focus when trying to manage several smaller financial goals. I tended to not deal with smaller financial goals because I could not easily visualize the benefit of achieving them. While I do not have ADD, I am pretty sure that many adults with ADD who are reading this post can relate to my past setbacks. From time to time I will keep you updated of the challenges that I will run into when trying to achieve my goal.

Here are five of my favorite blog posts for October:

Uh Oh: Halloween + Sugar = Hyperactivity?  (Moms with ADD / ADHD)

The 4 Steps of Personal Change for Adults with ADD (Experiencing ADDvantages)

How AD/HD Makes Me More Like Monk Than I Care For ( A Splintered Mind)

Winding Down (thinkythink)

I am always looking for great stories about adults with ADD, I especially like stories about ADD entrepreneurs who start a business to deal with an issues that affects many people with ADD. While surfing the internet I found an article from the Rancho Sante Fe Review about Sean Conway. Conway founded a company called Notehall.com that allows college students to purchase notes from lectures on-line. Although I do not have ADD, I would have found this a tremendous service in college, because I could not take notes and pay attention to a lecture at the same time. Sean was recently featured on ABC's show the Shark Tank. 

Shark Tank is a show where entrepreneurs give a business pitch to get the shows venture capitalists to invest in their business.

Recently I had been debating over whether to purchase a gym membership or buy a stationary bicycle. I have been a member of a gym before, but I only attended sporadically. I really wanted to buy a stationary bicycle, but was a little leary about the cost.

The bicycle that I wanted to purchase was $240.00, the gym I would have signed up for was $160.00 for a year. According to my comparison I would need to use the bicycle consistantly for a year and a half, if I wanted to get the same financial benefit as belonging to a gym. While it is certainly possible that I will use the bike for that long, 18 months is a considerable amount of time. I was undecided on the issue until I took one hidden cost into effect.

You see, it is a least a 10 mile round trip from my home to the gym. If I went to the gym 2 times a week, it would cost me an additional 11 dollars each week. Including my gym membership it would cost me slightly over $60.00 a month to use my gym, using those figures, the bicycle would pay for it self in four months. This made my decision to purchase the bicycle very simple.

The point I am trying to make it that sometimes it is very easy to overlook hidden costs when making a financial decision. This is especially true for adults with ADD who are more likely to make impulsive decisions. A lot of time you can uncover these hidden costs by using the 24 hour rule., and waiting a day before making a financial decision.  

The Bank of Mom and Dad is a show that each week features a different young women who is having financial issues. The parents of the young women move in with their child and work to teach them lessons to help turn around their finances. The show also features Farnoosh Torabi, a financial expert who helps by giving budget and financial advice. So far I have watched two episodes of The Bank of Mom and Dad and I have been really surprised. The show is not only entertaining, but shows realistic advice and lessons for people who are having financial issues.

The show deals with many issues that young adults with ADD often deal with. So far the episodes have dealt with issues such as organization, overspending, and unpaid parking tickets. It is a good watch for people who have their own financial issues and for parents who want to help their adult children with financial issues. It offers good advice in a very entertaining and friendly way.   

( for more information about the show see "Trust Me" over the "Bank of Mom and Dad" ) 

My wife Tara McGillicuddy, SCAC, will be speaking at this event that starts tommorrow.

Now you can get all the tools you need to succeed from top experts, break out of isolation as you connect with peers who've been or are in your shoes, and save money as you attend the Virtual AD/HD Conference™ from the comfort of your own home!

The top experts and leaders in the AD/HD community are gathering for the Virtual AD/HD Conference™ this October 5-7, including:

   • Edward Hallowell, MD on “Married to Distraction”
   • Daniel Amen, MD on “A Magnificent Mind at Any Age”
   • Patricia Quinn, MD on “Women and Girls with ADHD”
   • Charles Parker, DO on “Paying Attention to Drugs for Paying Attention”
   • Kenny Handelman, MD on “Evidence-Based Alternative Treatments for ADHD” 
   • Along with presentations by Victoria Ball, M.Ed, MCC, SCAC; Ariane Benefit, MSEd; David Giwerc, MCC; Kate Kelly, RN, MSN; Judith Kohlberg; Tara McGillicuddy, SCAC; Linda Hilger,SCAC; Bonnie Mincu, MBA, SCAC; Evelyn Polk Green, MSEd; David Rabiner, PhD; J. Russell Ramsay, PhD; Nancy Ratey, Ed.M, MCC, SCAC; Linda Roggli, PCC; Roland Rotz, PhD; Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, MCC, SCAC; Rory Stern, PsyD; Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA; and Robert Tudisco.

A full conference agenda can be found on the conference website

This event is for everyone affected by AD/HD, including adults, parents, spouses, and professionals. Participants can choose to attend sessions live via teleconference or webcast, or listen to presentation recordings. There will also be opportunities to interact with your peers in dedicated forums and chat rooms.

Please join me for this unique event that promises to be both informative and fun! Register today!