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Research Digest — Not Medical Advice: BodySignals summarises published research for informational purposes. It is not a healthcare provider and does not replace professional medical advice. If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call emergency services immediately. Full disclaimer

Research digest — not medical advice. Full disclaimer · How we rate evidence

ADHD Hub/Finances

Separate Accounts

Bills vs spending

MediumHigh impact1 week

Overview

Two chequing accounts: one for bills (untouchable, autopay-only) and one for day-to-day spending.

Why it works

Visual clarity beats mental arithmetic. You can safely spend whatever is in the spending account because the bills account is already covered. No running totals in your head.

Steps

  1. 1

    Open a second chequing account at the same bank for easy transfers.

  2. 2

    Direct deposit your fixed bills amount into Account A. Set all bills to autopay from Account A.

  3. 3

    Direct deposit the remainder (spending money) into Account B. This is what you live on.

Common Pitfalls

  • Transferring money back and forth between accounts and losing the boundary.
  • Math errors when setting the fixed amount — recalculate quarterly.

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Last updated: 2026-04-10

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Disclaimer

This is a research summary, not medical advice. Body Signals is an independent research digest — it summarises published research for informational purposes and is not a healthcare provider. ADHD management is highly individual — what works for one person may not work for another. These are tactical systems, not medical treatment. If you suspect untreated ADHD, speak with a physician or psychologist. ADHD commonly co-occurs with depression and anxiety; if you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Canada and US), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line, US) or CONNECT to 686868 (Kids Help Phone, Canada).

Quick Facts

Difficulty
Medium
Impact
High
Time to Implement
1 week
Category
Finances
Evidence Rating
CTactical system — minimal direct RCT evidence, rated on practitioner consensus.
Last Updated
2026-04-10