Built from 1,296 real posts in r/ADHD & r/adhdwomen

The budget system for the brain that abandoned YNAB.

One number to check. Four categories. A 48-hour impulse pause. And zero shame when you slip up. Spend Shield is built for how your ADHD brain actually works.

Get Spend Shield — $29 See how it works

One-time payment. No subscription. Works on phone + desktop.

🔒 docs.google.com/spreadsheets/spend-shield
⚡ 5-min setup
📱 Works on any device
∞ No subscription
Inside the sheet

Everything you need, nothing you don't

Seven tabs. Each one built for how your brain actually works — not how budgeting apps think it should.

One Number. That's It.

Your "Safe to Spend" tells you exactly what you can spend right now. No math, no guessing.

  • Color-coded status at a glance
  • 4 money jars with progress bars
  • Works beautifully on mobile

Find the Money You Forgot About.

List every subscription. See renewal dates, monthly cost, and total yearly drain.

  • Renewal date tracking
  • Annual cost calculator
  • See exactly what you can cut

Four Columns. Zero Friction.

Date. Amount. Category. Note. The entire logging experience in 10 seconds.

  • Only 4 categories: Needs, Wants, Bills, Savings
  • Auto-updates your Safe to Spend
  • Takes 10 seconds per entry

Save for Things Without Stress.

Break big expenses into small monthly chunks so nothing catches you off guard.

  • Set a goal and a deadline
  • Auto-calculates monthly amount
  • Watch your progress fill up

5 Minutes. Once a Week.

A quick guided review of where you stand. No deep dives, no spreadsheet rabbit holes.

  • Weekly spending summary
  • On-track status at a glance
  • Keeps momentum without overwhelm

The 48-Hour Impulse Pause.

Want something? Write it down. If you still want it after 48 hours, buy it guilt-free.

  • Built-in countdown timer
  • Tracks money saved from skipped impulses
  • See how much money you've saved from skipped impulses

See Where Your Money Went.

A month-by-month breakdown so you can spot patterns, track progress, and see how far you've come.

  • Monthly spending breakdown
  • Compare month over month
  • See your progress over time
Personalize

Make it yours

2 themes & counting

Pick your vibe.

Choose between Teal-Peach or Purple — one click and the entire dashboard transforms. More themes coming soon.

Works worldwide

Your currency. Your format.

USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD — pick yours and the entire dashboard adapts instantly.

Is this you?

Built for people who've tried everything

01
You've tried YNAB, Mint, and three spreadsheets.
You used each one for about a week before the overwhelm hit and you quietly stopped opening it.
02
You earn enough — but the money just disappears.
$800 a month vanishes into small purchases you don't even remember making.
03
Traditional budgeting makes you feel broken.
Every tool assumes your brain works a certain way. Yours doesn't. And the shame of falling behind is worse than the spending itself.
04
You impulse-buy, then avoid your bank app for days.
The guilt spiral keeps you from even looking at your finances — which makes everything worse.
05
You're paying for subscriptions you forgot exist.
Seven services. Some you don't recognize. All quietly draining your account every month.
06
You just want one number that says "you're okay."
Not 50 categories. Not a finance degree. Just a clear signal: green, yellow, or red.

If any of that hit close — this was built for you.

Get Spend Shield — $29

One-time payment. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Inside the sheet

See exactly what you get

Tab 1 — Dashboard

One number. That's it.

Your "Safe to Spend" number tells you exactly how much you can spend right now. Green, yellow, or red — no math, no guessing.

  • Color-coded status at a glance
  • 4 money jars with progress bars
  • Works beautifully on mobile
Tab 2 — Bills + Subs

Find the money you forgot about.

List every subscription. See renewal dates, monthly cost, and total yearly drain. Most people find $50–100/month they forgot they were paying.

  • Renewal date tracking
  • Annual cost calculator
  • See exactly what you can cut
Tab 3 — Log Spending

Four columns. Zero friction.

Date. Amount. Category. Note. That's the entire logging experience. No decision fatigue, no overthinking which of 50 categories a coffee goes in.

  • Only 4 categories: Needs, Wants, Bills, Savings
  • Auto-updates your Safe to Spend number
  • Takes 10 seconds per entry
Tab 4 — Sinking Funds

Save for things without stress.

Big expenses coming? Holiday, car repair, holiday flights? Sinking Funds breaks them into small monthly chunks so nothing ever catches you off guard.

  • Set a goal and a deadline
  • Auto-calculates how much to set aside monthly
  • Watch your progress fill up
Tab 5 — Weekly Check-in

5 minutes. Once a week. That's it.

A quick guided review of where you stand. No deep dives, no spreadsheet rabbit holes. Just a simple pulse check to keep you on track.

  • Weekly spending summary
  • On-track status at a glance
  • Keeps momentum without overwhelm
Tab 6 — Cooling Zone

The 48-hour impulse pause.

Want something? Write it down. A timer starts. If you still want it after 48 hours, buy it guilt-free. Most people don't.

  • Built-in countdown timer
  • Tracks money saved from skipped impulses
  • See how much money you've saved from skipped impulses
Tab 7 — Monthly History

See where your money went.

A month-by-month breakdown so you can spot patterns, track progress, and see how far you've come.

  • Monthly spending breakdown
  • Compare month over month
  • See your progress over time

What people are saying

Spend Shield Monthly History tab
★★★★★
"The Cooling Zone is honestly my favourite part. I added a €90 jacket and a €45 gadget — 48 hours later I didn't want either. That's €135 saved in one week. Seeing it add up in the Monthly History is so satisfying."
CL
Chl** L. Designer, 26 · ADHD
Spend Shield dashboard on MacBook
★★★★★
"I've tried YNAB, Mint, and like three spreadsheets. I'd use them for a week then just stop. This is the first thing I've actually stuck with — it's been a month and I still open it every morning."
SH
Soph**** H. Freelancer, 27 · ADHD
Spend Shield teal theme on laptop
★★★★★
"The Safe to Spend number is genuinely life-changing. I used to avoid my bank app for days after impulse buying. Now I just check the one number and I know exactly where I stand. No guilt spiral."
EM
Em*** M. Nurse, 31
Spend Shield in EUR on MacBook
★★★★☆
"I'm in Spain so I was worried it wouldn't work with euros. Switched the currency and everything just updated. Only thing I'd want is more color themes — but honestly for the price it's a no-brainer."
LR
Lau** R. Student, 24 · Barcelona
Spend Shield dashboard view only
★★★★★
"Found 3 subscriptions I completely forgot about — €50/month just gone. The Bills + Subs tab paid for itself in the first week. The Cooling Zone has saved me from at least 4 impulse buys already."
NK
Nin** K. Marketing, 29 · ADHD diagnosed
We get it

Sound familiar?

😰

"I got charged for 3 months on a free trial I forgot to cancel. My roommate found it while helping me with my budget."

r/adhdwomen · 1,476 upvotes
💭

"I tracked my small purchases for a month. $847 on things I forgot I even bought."

r/personalfinance · 980 upvotes
🔦

"Spending money is how I get stimulation. I hate it. I know I'm doing it and I can't stop."

r/ADHD · 107 comments
😢

"I downloaded a budget spreadsheet for $12. Never used it. The shame of even opening it was too much."

r/ADHD · 175 upvotes
💸

"$2k/month should be leftover but it just... disappears. Small purchases I don't even remember making."

r/adhdwomen · 84 comments
💔

"I told my partner I feel like a financial failure. He agreed. I haven't opened my banking app since."

r/adhdwomen · 327 comments

This isn't a discipline problem. It's a brain wiring problem. Spend Shield is built for that.

Built different

What makes Spend Shield different

Every feature was designed from real ADHD money struggles — not from what looks good on a feature comparison chart.

Safe to Spend Number

One number. Green, yellow, or red. That's all you need to check.

Impulse Cooling Zone

Want it? Write it down. Wait 48 hours. Most people don't buy it after.

4 Categories. That's It.

Needs. Wants. Bills. Savings. No decision fatigue.

Monthly Rollover

Switch months with one click. Your data stays, your progress carries over.

Sinking Funds

Break big expenses into small monthly saves. No more surprises.

Subscription Audit

Find the $9.99/month you forgot about. Cancel with zero guilt.

See the difference

Spend Shield vs Everything Else

Spend Shield$29 one-time YNAB / MintOthers$5–15/mo NotionFree / $10/mo
Works on any device ✓ ✓ ✓
Built for ADHD brains ✓ ✕ ✕
5-minute setup ✓ ✕ ✕
Only 4 categories ✓ ✕ —
Impulse cooling zone ✓ ✕ ✕
Shame-free design ✓ ✕ —
Sinking funds ✓ — ✕
Weekly check-in ✓ ✕ ✕
One-time payment ✓ ✕ ✓

30-day money-back guarantee

Try Spend Shield for 30 days. If it doesn't work for your brain, email us and you'll get a full refund. No questions asked. You keep the sheet either way.

Everything you need
Spend Shield
$29
One-time payment. Yours forever.
  • Safe to Spend Dashboard
  • Impulse Cooling Zone
  • Subscription Audit
  • Sinking Funds
  • Weekly Check-in
  • Money Saved Tracker
  • Works on any device
  • Free lifetime updates
Get Spend Shield Now — $29

+ applicable tax at checkout

30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.

Join people who stopped fighting their brain about money.

Questions?

Frequently asked questions

No. It's pre-built. Just enter your income and start logging. If you can type a number, you can use Spend Shield.

Yes. Google Sheets works on iOS and Android. The dashboard is designed to look great on mobile.

No shame. Just adjust your numbers and keep going. The Weekly Check-in tab helps you course-correct without the guilt spiral.

Free templates are generic. Spend Shield is engineered for ADHD: impulse cooling, a money-saved tracker, and only 4 categories. Every feature was designed from real research on how ADHD brains handle money.

Google Sheets works on every device without installing an app. It's faster, loads on mobile, doesn't need a Notion account, and formulas auto-calculate everything for you. No databases, no blocks, no learning curve. Just open and go.

Yes. 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. If it doesn't work for you, you get your money back.

We know. That's why every feature was designed from 1,296 Reddit posts about ADHD and money. This isn't another budget tracker — it's a system built for brains that work differently.

Your brain works differently.
Your budget should too.

Get Spend Shield — $29

Join people who stopped fighting their brain about money.