Budgeting diaries as a gift (for a ND person)

[Realdeal1]

Might be a strange one but you all seem like great shoppers. Looking for a xmas gift for a high functioning ND person (M) who tends to scrawl out to do lists or budget lists on bits of paper a lot. I had an idea of a good budgeting diary or similar. Any tips? Or is this a silly idea? Papier seems very expensive but any other ideas?

Hmm is it something they've expressed any interest in? I do this and would take it as a criticism!

Id like fun things or things related to my interest rather than someone organising me.

(As an aside there are quite a few phone apps than can help, not least just notes, and various to do type apps but it's still quite personal which one works!)

@FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden I do this too! but I thought having a nice diary or planner might be helpful? I could be very wrong....

Post this on the Christmas bargain thread on the mnet Christmas board, they'll sort you out with discount codes & offers. Last year there were lots of offers floating around.

Mayve it depends on the person. Assuming it's not me (!) but for me it would come across as "I see you can't organise this very well, let me try and organise it for you and now here's another thing you have to try to remember to do/not lose."

And then when I don't want to use it I'd feel pressure to or when the person asks how it's going and I gave up after 3 weeks.

Its more the sort of thing mayve you could say" oh I saw this fab budget book is it something you'd find helpful I can send you a link if you like" which I could choose to ignore.

But for Xmas it's the equivalent of buying better cleaning clothes because my cleaning not up to scratch.

But it maybe that others would react differently!!

It is really thoughtful!

I have ADHD and agree with this. I wouldn't like it. And I would also feel the same pressure and be embarrassed and guilty when I undoubtedly stopped using it after a couple of weeks. Which is what happens with virtually all organisational systems we try to set up.

A nice notebook might be good. Less "judgy". However please don't be surprised or offended if she loses her notebook, or forgets about it and stops using it and/or goes back to the random pieces if paper because that's what's to have when the thing she heeds to remember is in her head and she quite remember where she last saw the notebook!

You don't say if she has ADHD but it sounds like she has executive functioning struggles so it's similar either way and I would say the best present from a friend would be acceptance of her the way she is and non judgement. Not saying you are doing any of those things, you sound lovely on your post. So in that vein just get her something she'll like rather than something to "help".

I'm another one who would question whether he would find it useful. I'm also likely ND and high functioning and I run my life with a million spreadsheets to try and organise my endless thoughts and to dos, budget plans etc.

Ive bought many a nice notebook or planner but the reality is that I'm too chaotic to benefit from yhem.

However the closest I've had to something that's helpful is an undated planner with a diary side and a note side. Amazon have loads or you might get lucky with a bargain Moleskine from TK Maxx.

Thanks everyone, I think the general consensus is not to get one so back to the drawing board!

If you know him well enough to know he's ND and scrawls out lists on paper then surely you know a band, type of chocolates or animal that he likes!

I would personally see it as being passive-aggressive "feedback" on my poor organisation. A friend went through a phase in her early teens of her nan getting her items relating to her glasses (which she couldn't stand) - a neck chain, a case, a special cloth etc - and it really upset her. Made her feel like the only thing people noticed about her was the thing "wrong" with her iyswim. Sorry!

This exactly distinct.

Perhaps a lovely notebook (Moleskin us the obvious one) would be good? Then he can scrawl his notes in the same place, without the 'you need to be a better bugetter' connotations.

(And sorry OP - I know you mean well but I'm a note-scribbler and I would hate for someone to try to organise me).

I'm ND myself and have endless lists and scraps of paper. I'd love this gift! I'd say go for it

I am ND and I find really lovely stationery helps me organise myself. I love the Leuchtturm range of notebooks and planners, the colours are lovely and the paper is so nice to write on.

If you think your friend would enjoy it then I'd go for it - I tend to lose everyday notepads and things but my Leuchtturm ones live on the shelf where they look nice. In fact I've just bought myself one with the intention of using it to help me organise my household tasks.

Oh yes I'm a Leuchtturm fan too.

I also thought those to do lists with the tick boxes are so motivating. Something to do with getting to tick the box 🤪.

Yeah, lovely paper to scrawl notes on would work.

Giving a dedicated book is just more work for the brain to cope with, it causes anxiety & the need to conform to norms that maybe don't work for that person.

Scrawled lists is externalising thoughts to organise them, it moves the thought to a different bit of the brain.