Episode 8: That's another ADHD tax

ADHD Tax: The Hidden Cost No One Talks About

Ever bought something…
lost it…
then bought it again?

Or filled your fridge with “healthy food”
only to throw it all out a week later?

Welcome to ADHD tax.

In this episode, Alisha and Rhiannon unpack the very real (and often expensive) ways ADHD shows up in everyday life — from impulse spending and forgotten bills to unused subscriptions, wasted groceries, and hobby graveyards.

It’s funny.
It’s painfully relatable.
And it’s probably costing you more than you realise.

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💡 What We Talk About

• What ADHD tax actually is (and why most people don’t realise they’re paying it)
• Buying things twice because you lost them
• Letting bills go unpaid → then paying fees or fines
• Wasting money on groceries you don’t cook
• Ordering takeaway when food is already at home
• Subscriptions you forgot to cancel
• The “I’ll be this person” hobby purchases
• Storage units, offices, and unused spaces
• Delivery convenience vs saving money
• Why autopay is both a saviour and a trap
• The cost of needing convenience to function
• Decision fatigue and avoidance behaviours

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🔑 Key Takeaways

• ADHD tax isn’t about being “bad with money” — it’s about how your brain works.
• You often spend more to compensate for executive function challenges.
• Convenience (like delivery or pre-made food) isn’t laziness — it’s a support strategy.
• Avoidance (like not opening mail) can lead to bigger financial consequences.
• Subscriptions and systems only work if they match your behaviour — not your intentions.
• Awareness helps reduce shame… even if it doesn’t fix everything.

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👩‍👧 Who This Episode Is For

• Women with ADHD (diagnosed or questioning)
• Mums feeling overwhelmed by life admin
• Anyone who impulse buys or forgets to cancel things
• Women trying to “get organised” but struggling
• People constantly starting systems… and abandoning them

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💬 A Message From This Episode

You’re not lazy.
You’re not careless.
You’re not “bad with money.”

You’ve just been trying to survive in a system
that wasn’t designed for your brain.

And sometimes…
that comes with a price tag.

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📲 Follow & Connect

Follow for more real, unfiltered conversations:

@motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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🎧 Subscribe

Follow Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered for:

• ADHD in women
• Real mum life
• Emotional regulation
• Overwhelm & identity
• Systems that actually work