How Much Money Does Having ADHD Cost Per Year In Stupid Mistakes

I’m sitting here in a plane just letting my mind wander, and I was wondering how much money I spend per year as a result of making stupid mistakes due to the fact that I’m not good with detail, or I’m forgetful, or I’m clumsy.

Heck, I’ve even written almost a full post for a steemit contest before, then FORGOT that I had almost finished the post and before I knew it…the contest was over and I never submitted it. Then I ended up finding it again a month later when I was cleaning up my computer files.

All of those things can be symptoms of ADHD (which, I already let the cat out of the bag and told you guys that I got diagnosed as an adult...so now you know my biggest secret).

I can't help but sit here and laugh about it!!! I'm actually giggling like a total weirdo thinking about all of the clumsy moments I have, etc.

I bet you didn’t know extreme clumsiness was related to ADHD though, right? Well, it is! I always joke with my Indonesian friend Lia when I get on her motorbike, that I’m like an elephant just plopping down on it. I always shake the whole thing.

How do other people get on the motorbike without it being awkward every. single. time?

I also had to give up Hawaiin Punch when I was 10 because I ruined too many shirts with red stains that wouldn’t come out.

I ruin so much stuff, it’s almost funny because it’s unbelievable how often it happens. I literally giggling quietly about it right now (I don’t want to explain to the people on the plane that I’m laughing at my own misfortune).

I’m so clumsy, that if the fairy godmother from Cinderella came and waved her magic wand at me trying to make me all graceful for the ball, she’d just give up and go on vacation to Borneo.

In the past 4 months alone, I’ve already ruined 2 dresses, 1 pair of pants and 1 shirt.

That’s 1 item of clothing per month that I pretty much have to replace because I did something clumsy!

Let’s see. Just in Indonesia, I ruined 2 things.

Once was my dress. I fell trying to get off the motorbike and then my dress somehow got caught on something on it and it made a huge rip.

And then my other dress…I was walking too close to a wall and I guess there was a tiny nail sticking out. My dress got caught on it and ripped that as well. Oh and I spilled yellow mystery stuff on that same dress, so it’s double ruined.

I ruined my comfy Thai pants because I also ripped a hole in those.

And, I ripped a hole in my sweater in Malaysia trying to get it out of the dresser. Who rips a shirt just taking it out of the dresser? 😆

I pretty much feel like a walking liability sometimes.

What else have I ruined in 4 months?

Well, I left things behind on accident even though I double checked the room. So, I’m missing a thing of sunscreen and that’s crazy expensive here!

I’d say the cost of ruined clothes is about $35 and the sunscreen is a loss of maybe $8.

This is why I can’t have nice things.

I lost my favorite necklace too that I packed! Oh man, it was super unique and handmade and $15, so the loss in clothes in 5 months is now $50.

I literally buy the cheapest clothes I can because there is just no point trying to make them last several years haha.

I do things like overstaying my visa, which costs me $45. Since that just happened, I think that's what caused my mind to wander and start writing this post.

I miss doctor’s appointments WAY more than I actually remember to make them. Even with a calendar. So, that’s like a $30 charge or whatever for no-show fees.

Oh, I also missed my flight a few months ago because I was waiting at the wrong gate, even though I knew what the right gate was. My mind was just being all foggy. I had to pay for a flight change fee since it's as my fault and that was $200.

I lock my keys in the car more than the average person, and since I’ve only been successful with the hanger trick once, I usually have to call a locksmith which is another $50. I’d say budget $150 per year for key stuff.

Oh, my credit card late fees. I tried to put my stuff on autopay but just forgot some of the things. So, I end up paying late fees and things.

I know we all do these things occasionally, but with ADD it’s every single day, multiple times a day, non-stop train wreck.

Haha I just think it would be funny to have a doctor’s note saying something like “Please let this one slide this time because there’s just no way she’ll ever learn her lesson. She’s chemically unable to remember all of these details.”

I could save a lot of money on visa overstays, late fees, no-show fees, etc!

I think I read in a book that ADHD costs a person an extra $4-5,000 per year on average just in paying for stupid mistakes/ clumsiness etc.

I actually wonder if that’s true, which is why I’m just sitting here on the plane trying to mentally tally up all of the damage I’ve caused just by essentially being a living breathing tornado lol.

I think that number is actually pretty accurate. Luckily in Asia I have no car to lock my keys in.

Oh, but I did carry my motorbike helmet across the street for NO reason (I was walking) and set it down when I was eating gelato with Lia and then just totally forgot it existed or that i had even touched it.

It disappeared and had to pay to replace that.

And I forgot to order more inventory for my business, so I lost out a crap ton on sales and missed out tons of money for several months. I also end up losing a lot of time over this stuff, too, not just money.

If this doesn’t make you laugh, I’m sorry. But it’s pretty funny when you start thinking how much and how OFTEN this kind of thing happens. It’s kind of hilarious! 🙈 🙉

I can't stop giggling about all of this for some reason. I feel like I'm writing one of those Amelia Bedelia books that are for kids, except instead of fiction, it's real life which just makes it funnier.

Have you heard of Amelia Bedelia? It's basically just a kid's story about how this girl messes things up all the time to the point that it's comical, but everyone loves her anyway so she gets away with it. Haha, I wonder if I loved those books as a kid so much because it was relatable haha.

Anyway, if anyone here is a doctor and wants to write me a note to help me get out of dumb things I do, I would totally appreciate it haha.

Love, @nomadicsoul

(from when I spilled mulled wine on my coat in the Czech Republic so I decided to tye-dye it haha)