September 10
Do you often feel swamped by money decisions? Or find yourself wondering how to make your spending really reflect what matters most to you?
Money management isn't just about crunching numbers - it's deeply personal, shaped by who we are and how we think.
In this episode of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, we explore the complex relationship between personal identity and financial behavior with Ellyce Fulmore, a 29-year-old queer and neurodivergent financial educator, content creator, and best-selling author. Ellyce is the founder of Queerd Co., a financial literacy company that takes an innovative, intersectional approach to money matters.
Ellyce's journey began with a late ADHD diagnosis at 25, discovered through TikTok during the pandemic. This revelation transformed her understanding of financial behaviors and led her to develop a unique approach to financial literacy.
With an online community of over half a million, Ellyce is dedicated to helping people find the right tools, strategies, and perspectives to create a life where financial stability and joy coexist. Her expertise has been recognized by major platforms including The New York Times, CBS News, Vogue, The Globe and Mail, and The Financial Post.
During this conversation, Ellyce shares insights from her journey - from post-university struggles to becoming a financial educator and author. Ellyce shared how factors such as neurodiversity, gender, race, and past experiences can profoundly influence our financial decisions and overall well-being.
We also get into practical strategies for aligning your finances with your personal values. Elise offers tips on everything from outsourcing tasks to creating spending systems that work for neurodivergent individuals. Her insights are valuable whether you're trying to better understand your own financial habits or looking for new ways to approach money management.
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“I think that getting diagnosed with ADHD allowed me to view my financial situation and my life with a completely different lens.”
— Ellyce Fulmore
"The first step is to recognize the trauma you have and where it might originate. Practice tuning into your body so that you can identify when you're in a dysregulated state."
— Ellyce Fulmore
"Investing in tools or accommodations that will ultimately improve your life is always worth it."
— Ellyce Fulmore
"If I looked at your credit card or bank statement from the last month—just a random person off the street—would your values be evident to me? Would it be clear what you prioritize spending money on?"
— Ellyce Fulmore
- Ellyce Fulmore, a 29-year-old queer and neurodivergent financial educator, was diagnosed with ADHD at age 25 in 2020 after discovering relatable content on TikTok during the pandemic.
- Prior to her diagnosis, Ellyce struggled with health issues including brain fog, fatigue, and sleep problems for five years, which were later linked to her ADHD.
- Ellyce's background includes a competitive gymnastics career and church volunteering. Her journey into personal finance began when she realized her planned career as a physiotherapist wasn't the right fit.
[20:00 - 40:00] Intersectionality in Financial Literacy
- Ellyce emphasizes the importance of understanding one's identity and how it impacts financial behaviors, introducing the concept of intersectionality in financial decision-making.
- She provides examples of how different aspects of identity, such as gender, race, and neurodivergence, can affect financial outcomes and choices.
- Ellyce discusses how societal standards and expectations can lead to financial behaviors aimed at fitting in, sharing personal experiences of trying to conform to beauty ideals and the financial impact of those efforts.
[40:00 - 01:07:23] Managing ADHD and Finances
- Ellyce introduces her allowance card system, which helps manage her ADHD brain by providing structure and freedom in budgeting.
- She shares her workaround for managing ADHD, which involves adding dopamine to everyday tasks to make them more enjoyable and increase motivation.
- Ellyce emphasizes the importance of aligning spending with personal values to improve overall financial well-being and reduce guilt associated with purchases.
