How to Trick Your Brain Into Wanting a Budget

Last week, I came across a headline while doomscrolling: “This daily affirmation can change your brain’s way of thinking.” I rolled my eyes. Clickbait, I thought. But for some reason the idea stuck with me.

It got me wondering: Can I trick my brain into not wanting sugar? Trick it to actually enjoy running? Or - wild idea - actually look forward to budgeting? So I researched it. And here’s what I found:

There is real science behind how we can reshape the way we think and behave.

It’s not instant, but it’s possible.

When Biology Meets Your Bank Account

This story actually begins at a friend’s dinner party.

We were cooking risotto, when my friend asked me what I was working on at the moment.

In my head I debated: “Do I give her the short version or the long one?”

I went for the long version (which btw you’re also getting right now), simply because the details, and the science backing this, is important.

And secondly, because saying, “I’m writing about how affirmations can make you love budgeting” I imagined the same skeptical look I gave that headline earlier.

So instead, I went with:

“I’m researching how our brain shape our habits - and whether we can change our habits to make better financial choices by changing our thoughts.”

She paused, looked confused. “Wait so you’re changing careers?”

Not quite. But I explained the connection between neuroscience, behaviour, and how we think about money.

Her response? “Wow! Okay, so how does that work?”

It all begins in our heads.

And just a quick heads up!

By the end of this, there’s a good chance you’ll be weirdly excited about budgeting too.

Don’t blame me - blame your brain.

The Brain: Part 1 - Neuroplasticity

The first thing you need to understand is this: our brains are wired for change.

Literally. They’re built to adapt, grow, and rewire.

This is thanks to something called neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections.

It’s the reason you can build new habits, break old ones, and learn new skills, even as an adult.

If you remember this story tomorrow, it’s because of brain plasticity.

But brain plasticity is more than memory. It’s the whole process of how your brain changes through experience and learning.

But in order to understand brain plasticity better, we first need to zoom in on neurons.

Use it or lose it

As you might remember from biology classes, the brain consists of neurons (also known as brain cells), which are the brain’s communication cells that sends signals to one another through tiny connections called synapses.

Now, here’s where it gets exciting, and a bit scientific so hang with me for a second..

When neurons are repeatedly exposed to a stimulus - a thought, an experience, an emotion, a behaviour, or even physical activity - they strengthen their connections.

Over time, this can lead to a phenomenon called neurogenesis which is the creation of new neurons.

You're not just forming a habit - you're reshaping your brain

In other words, by doing something over and over again, you’re not just forming a habit - you’re physically reshaping your brain.

I looked at my friend’s expression.

Clearly, that’s a lot to take in.

So I went for a quick summary of the three most important things to remember:

• Repetition builds stronger neural pathways.
• The more you use certain brain circuits, the stronger they get.
• The ones you don’t use? They weaken and eventually fade.

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Still a bit fluffy. So I tried with a real-life example.

Imagine you’re learning Portuguese.

You practice every day - reading, speaking, listening - and after a few months, you’re getting close to fluent. That progress is a direct result of repetition and neural reinforcement.

But if you stop using Portuguese, eventually those neural pathways fade, and you lose the skill. “Use it or lose it,” as they say.

Use it or lose it

I summarised: The neurons you train will grow. The ones you don’t… won’t.

My friend nodded, grabbed the chardonnay bottle and asked: “But what does that have to do with finances and budgeting?”

Fair point.

We’re getting to that now.

The Brain: Part 2 - Limiting beliefs

How do we actually use brain plasticity to change the way we approach money?

Here’s the key to answering that question: the brain changes through repeated experiences.

That includes not just physical actions like opening your banking app or writing down expenses.

But also mental experiences: your thoughts, your internal dialogue, and even your imagination.

The stories you tell yourself about money - whether consciously or not - are shaping your brain, and therefore your behaviour.

The stories that hold us back

When it comes to money, many of us are running on mental scripts we didn’t consciously choose.

A limiting belief is a deeply ingrained thought pattern that defines what we think is possible for us - but in a way that holds us back.

These beliefs often come from childhood, family dynamics, cultural conditioning, or past experiences. And they tend to live just below the surface of our awareness.

“So what can limiting beliefs look like?” My friend asked me.

I’m happy she asked, as I just recently discovered one of my own:

People like me don't get rich

She looked surprised, so I kept going:

“I think deep down, I’ve always believed I’m just not the kind of person who gets wealthy. I didn’t grow up around money, and somewhere along the way, I internalised the idea that no matter how hard I work or how much I hustle, real wealth just isn’t in the cards for me”

She nodded and replied: “I think mine would be: I’m terrible with money”.

I nearly jumped in to disagree - because I know she’s not. But I bit my tongue.

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That’s the thing about these beliefs: they feel like facts, even when they’re flat-out false.

I explained to her that over time, repeating these beliefs wires your brain to treat them as facts - even if they’re not objectively true.

The more you think them, the stronger those neural pathways become. And that’s how they start influencing your decisions, often without you even noticing.

“So what can we do about it?” She said a little frustrated.

I smiled and replied: “Here's the powerful part: just like those beliefs were learned, they can be unlearned by flipping the script.”

The Brain: Part 3 - Rewriting the stories

We’re back where this story began - with that headline I saw while doomscrolling:

"This daily affirmation can change your brain’s way of thinking."

And I’ll admit: I wasn’t wrong to roll my eyes.

Because no, simply saying a sentence in the mirror won’t magically rewire your brain.

First of all, you have to actually believe what you’re saying.

Secondly, positive affirmations are not wishful thinking, but a method for training your brain to accept a new internal narrative.

Introducing positive affirmations...

An affirmation is a short, intentional statement that aligns with the identity you want to grow into.

Think of them as thought-seeds that, when nurtured with repetition, can begin to overwrite the old, limiting narratives with more empowering ones.

So what could that sound like?

Well, instead of: “I’m terrible with money,” try: “I’m learning to manage my money with more confidence each day.”

Or instead of: “I’ll never be able to save,” try: “Saving is a skill I’m building step by step.”

And in my case, instead of saying “People like me don’t get rich” I’m constantly trying “I’m not rich - yet, and I’m making daily efforts to build wealth and break the pattern”

That night, as we cleared the table and refilled our glasses, my friend circled back to the original question:

“So wait… can we actually trick our brains into wanting to budget?”

I paused. Not because I didn’t know the answer, but because the answer is more meaningful than a simple yes.

Because it’s not about tricking your brain.

It’s about training it.

Your brain is not fixed. It’s not doomed to repeat the same habits or replay the same money story forever. It’s flexible. Adaptable.

So what do you do from here?

Maybe this sparked a little curiosity. Maybe it stirred something deeper.

Either way, here’s where you can start:

Step 1: Identify your unconscious limiting beliefs

Start by tuning into the mental scripts running on autopilot - those quiet “truths” you’ve been repeating to yourself. They might sound like: “Wealth is greedy,” “I’m just bad with money,” or “I’ve never been good at math.”

Write them down. Get them out of your head and onto paper. Because when you name them, you take away their power.

Step 2: Stop putting the wrong things in

Now that you’ve uncovered those limiting beliefs, it’s time to stop reinforcing them. That might mean pausing when one shows up.

It’s not always easy - trust me, I get it. But change starts with awareness. Catching the thought is the first win.

Step 3: Start putting the right things in

This is where affirmations come in. For every limiting belief you wrote down, you need to write down a positive affirmation that feels honest and possible. And remember the key here is repetition. Make it a ritual.

So instead of “I’m terrible with money,” you might say: “I’m learning to manage my money with more confidence each day.”

Step 4: Say it. Write it. Do it!

Speak your affirmations out loud. Jot them on a sticky note. Whisper them if you have to. You can even pair it with one small action - maybe opening your budgeting app, tracking one expense, or setting a mini savings goal.

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Small rewires. That’s how you begin.

Budgeting might never feel thrilling. But it can feel empowering.

And with time and practice, it might just become something your brain doesn’t resist…

But wants.