Money Lessons From a Tarot Reader: Building Security, Not Illusions

Do you lie awake at night, running the numbers in your head, wondering how you’ll ever get ahead?

Do you check your bank account with a pit in your stomach, avoiding the truth until it’s too heavy to ignore?

Or maybe you’re tired of quick-fix promises, the “get rich fast” mantras,  that leave you feeling even more behind.

Money fear keeps more people awake at night than ambition ever does.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. Most people carry money stress like a shadow. It’s raw, it’s heavy, and it shapes how we dream, work, and love.

This isn’t a “manifest a million overnight” article. It’s a grounded reflection on what I learned by climbing out of debt, reshaping my mindset, and slowly building financial freedom, lessons that come not from theory, but lived experience.

Nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide live in extreme poverty, you’re not alone in this struggle.

And yes, I’m a professional tarot reader and psychic medium. Which means I approach money with a mix of practical discipline and symbolic insight. Both matter. Both work.

My Story: Debt, Determination, and a Used Car at 29%

I moved out young, hungry for independence and convinced I could carve out the career I dreamed of. But independence doesn’t come free.

It comes with bills, rent, and the sobering reality that determination alone doesn’t keep the lights on.

Sometimes the price of independence is paid in silence and sleepless nights

I needed a car to take the next step in my work, to reach opportunities that were out of walking distance and bus routes. But with no savings and a credit score scarred from earlier missteps, I was left with one option: a 29% interest loan on a used car.

I told myself it was an investment, a leap of faith. I reframed it as an arrow being pulled back, tension building before release. And in a way, that’s true, but arrows don’t fly without resistance.

The reality was harsh.

Every month, interest consumed what little progress I made. My paycheck disappeared faster than I could earn it.

Debt wasn’t my failure, it was the soil where resilience began to grow.

Some nights, I drove home exhausted, gripping the wheel in silence, wondering if I had gambled away my future on a rusted car with a payment that felt more like a chain.

Debt became a shadow. It colored how I slept, what I ate, the risks I thought I could take. It was more than numbers on a page, it was a constant whisper: You’re falling behind.

But here’s what I didn’t realize at the time: that whisper could be challenged. I didn’t need a miracle. I didn’t need someone to rescue me.

I needed a plan.

And more than that, I needed the patience and resilience to work that plan, day after day, even when the results were invisible at first.

What changed everything?

Not luck. Not a sudden windfall.

A choice: to stop pretending things would get better on their own. To face the numbers head-on, make a strategy, and shift my mindset from scarcity to growth.

That decision was the real turning point. It’s what transformed 29% interest into something far more powerful: discipline, clarity, and eventually, freedom.

Drowning in Debt? The Truth About “Treading Water”

When you’re overwhelmed by bills or living paycheck to paycheck, the easiest escape is distraction, online shopping, takeout dinners, binge-watching, endless scrolling.

These quick fixes soothe the stress for a moment, but they don’t solve the underlying problem.

I call this treading water.

You’re expending energy, but you’re not actually moving forward financially.

The truth? Getting out of debt starts with radical honesty.

Distractions keep you moving, but they don’t take you forward.

The first step is facing the numbers you’ve been avoiding. I sat down and wrote out every expense, every source of income, and the total of my debt.

The final number was sobering, but clarity beats avoidance. You can’t change what you won’t name.

The first step to freedom is daring to look at the numbers you fear most.

From there, I committed to small, deliberate steps that built momentum:

• Tiny Payments That Add Up. Even $10 or $25 toward my debt chipped away at the interest. It wasn’t glamorous, but it created progress I could track. That progress fueled consistency.

• Creative Budget Cuts. I started cooking at home, pressed pause on streaming subscriptions, and looked for ways to share resources. These choices weren’t sacrifices, they were investments in my freedom.

• Mindset Work That Stuck. Debt isn’t just numbers, it’s emotional weight. Using subliminal affirmations, I began retraining my relationship with money. Tools like the ThinkUp app let me record affirmations in my own voice, which I listened to daily, sometimes even while I slept. This shifted me from a scarcity mindset into one of possibility.

If you’re struggling to overcome financial stress, stop treading water, and finally move toward financial freedom, remember: progress doesn’t start with massive leaps.

It starts with clarity, consistency, and the willingness to face what feels uncomfortable.

Tarot’s Take on Money: The Suit of Pentacles

In tarot readings, the suit of Pentacles is the clearest mirror for how we handle money, career, and material security.

These cards are tied to the element of Earth, reminding us that finances are not built on speed or luck, but on stability, patience, and grounded action.

Pentacles remind us: wealth isn’t luck, it’s cultivation.

Unlike the fiery energy of Wands or the emotional depth of Cups, Pentacles speak to the practical, tangible side of life: paychecks, investments, savings, debt, and the slow, steady work of building long-term abundance.

They show us that true prosperity isn’t about a single windfall, it’s about creating habits, discipline, and systems that endure.

Think of the Pentacles as a garden:

• The Ace of Pentacles represents a seed, a new job, a fresh financial opportunity, or the start of a savings habit.

• The Five of Pentacles reflects the hardship of financial loss, debt, or fear of scarcity.

• The Ten of Pentacles reveals the reward of persistence: generational wealth, security, and legacy.

The best tarot readings aren’t prediction-based, they don’t claim to tell you exactly when or how money will arrive.

When Pentacles dominate a reading, it’s not about jackpots, it’s about strategy, persistence, and support.

Instead, they reflect the energy, patterns, and opportunities already influencing your path. That said, if the suit of Pentacles shows up as dominant in a spread, it is often a strong indicator that finances, career, or material well-being are areas of focus right now.

This doesn’t always signal sudden wealth. More often, it suggests you may find yourself supported in ways that bring stability, through strategy, dedication, and persistence.

Pentacles remind us that abundance grows not from shortcuts but from consistent effort, smart planning, and the courage to stay the course.

When you receive a tarot money reading from a professional, the Pentacles often highlight both the blocks holding you back, overspending, avoidance, scarcity thinking,  and the resources already available to help you thrive.

An accurate tarot reader won’t hand you a fantasy, but they can reveal where your persistence will be rewarded, and how support may show up in practical, lasting forms.

If you’re curious how the suit of Pentacles might be shaping your own journey, a professional tarot reading can illuminate your path and help you build financial confidence with clarity and accuracy.

Affirmations That Reshaped My Reality

I believe in affirmations because I’ve tested them in moments of survival.

Once, while paddle boarding, strong currents pulled me far from shore. Exhaustion crept in, and panic set my body on fire.

The words you whisper in survival can become the beliefs that save you.

Alone, desperate, I began shouting my affirmations into the waves: “I am strong. I am capable. I am making it back.”

With every declaration, my strokes became stronger. With every word, I chose determination over fear.

Hours later, when I finally reached shore, I understood something profound: affirmations don’t just change how we think,  they change how we act.

That lesson carried into my financial life.

Your brain believes everything you say, even before you do.

When I was drowning in debt and fear, I started using the app ThinkUp to record affirmations in my own voice. I played them on repeat as I slept, letting them seep into the subconscious mind where beliefs are formed.

At first, I didn’t believe the words. They felt awkward, even fake. But here’s the truth: our brains believe everything we say, even when we don’t. Repetition rewires the narrative, shifting self-doubt into self-direction.

Over time, those words became internalized.

They shifted how I approached money decisions, gave me the patience to stick to my budget, and helped me see opportunities where I once saw only obstacles.

Here are a few affirmations I still use daily around money:

Manifesting Abundance

• Money flows to me with ease.

• I deserve financial freedom.

• I am a magnet for wealth and opportunity.

Creating Opportunity

• My skills attract income.

• I welcome profitable ideas daily.

• I see doors opening all around me.

Managing Wisely

• Every dollar I spend and save aligns with my goals.

• I am disciplined and grateful with money.

• My planning ensures success and peace of mind.

Say them aloud. Record them in your own voice. Play them while you fall asleep. The subconscious doesn’t argue with repetition, it absorbs it. And over time, what you once resisted becomes the belief that carries you forward.

From Scarcity to Stability: My Step-by-Step Plan

I approached money like tending a garden. Little by little, the seeds grew into something stable and sustaining.

Wealth grew when I stopped chasing shortcuts and started planting daily seeds.

• Budgeting with YNAB. The You Need a Budget app gave me structure. Every dollar was assigned a purpose, which forced me to be accountable rather than hopeful.

• Lump-Sum Payments. Whenever I had extra, no matter how small, I threw it at my debt. Watching the numbers shrink gave me momentum.

• Savings Goals. Once debt was cleared, I opened two separate funds: one for a dog and one for my future. Even tiny deposits created a sense of progress.

Within two years, I had paid off every cent of debt, saved $12,000, and adopted the dog I’d always dreamed of.

Today, I approach the stock market like a garden.

It’s not about guessing the “right” stock pick or chasing trends. It’s about showing up consistently, watering the soil, and letting time do its work.

I invest 60% of everything I earn into blue chip stocks, companies built for stability and long-term value. I live on very little, knowing I can lean on my savings if I absolutely need to.

Since writing this blog, my investments have grown by over 50%, not because of luck, but because of persistence. That’s the rule of average: consistent contributions create leverage, and over time the ups and downs balance out in your favor.

Consistency, not luck, turned 29% interest on debt into a 50% capital gain

If you’re struggling or just starting, it’s okay to begin small. Truly.

Even 5% of every dollar you earn will snowball into something meaningful when you stay consistent.

For beginners, I recommend starting with Wealthsimple, an easy platform that automates investing so you don’t overthink it.

The suit of Pentacles in tarot reminds us that wealth grows through patience, strategy, and care. Financial stability isn’t a windfall.

It’s the slow, deliberate building of security, something you can create, no matter where you’re starting from.

Money, Tarot, and Self-Awareness

If you’re reading this while penniless, scared, and wondering how you’ll make rent, I’ve been there.

I know how hollow it sounds when someone says, “This will build character.”

When my electricity was cut off, I sat in the dark with only a handful of coins in my pocket, unsure how I’d cover rent that month. It felt humiliating and terrifying.

But here’s the truth I wish someone had said to me then: your current circumstances do not define your financial future.

Tarot won’t predict your jackpot, but it will show you where you’re blocked.

Survival moments may feel like the end of the road, but they are often the place where resilience is forged.

I’ve met countless people, many recovering from addiction, starting with nothing, who went on to become financially secure, even wildly successful.

What shifted for them wasn’t luck.

It was clarity, discipline, and the courage to face what they once avoided.

This is where tarot becomes such a powerful ally. The cards won’t hand you a jackpot. They won’t tell you the winning lottery numbers.

Self-awareness is the currency that transforms scarcity into stability.

What they will do is mirror back the truth you might be too overwhelmed to see:

• Where you’re blocked. Maybe it’s avoidance, fear, or self-sabotage.

• Where you’re stronger than you realize. Even the smallest resource or connection can be a seed of growth.

• What actions you can take right now. Tarot illuminates the present, which is the only place change is possible.

Wealth, I’ve learned, isn’t about quick results. It’s about self-awareness. It’s noticing your triggers, facing your patterns, and choosing differently, one decision at a time.

Even when you feel like you have nothing, clarity is the first currency you can build.

If you’re ready to explore how money energy shows up in your own life, consider the practical applications of tarot in daily decision-making. Sometimes, one clear reflection can give you the spark to take that next, doable step forward.

Final Thought: Measure What You Treasure

The most financially free people I know treat money like a living thing. It needs attention, care, and honesty.

Consistency isn’t glamorous, but it’s how mountains of debt quietly disappear.

Ignore it, and it withers. Tend to it, and it grows.

When I was in severe debt, I kept a running list in the Notes app on my phone of every single place I owed money.

It wasn’t glamorous, just a sobering reminder of what I was up against.

Every paycheck, no matter how small, I would throw a tiny percentage at each debt while still covering what I needed to stay alive.

Freedom isn’t found in a windfall, it’s built in the pennies you choose with purpose.

It felt almost laughably small at times, but here’s what I learned: consistency compounds.

That simple act of facing the numbers, tracking them, and steadily chipping away somehow paid off faster than I imagined. Not because I had a windfall, but because my focus and persistence turned the tide.

If you’re feeling buried right now, start where you are.

Even pocket change builds momentum when pointed in the right direction. Small steps done consistently create surprising progress.

I’ve been there: the panic, the sleepless nights, the shame of falling behind.

I’ve also stood on the other side, with debt cleared, savings in the bank, investments growing, and a future that feels secure.

Your path will look different from mine, but the truth remains: with clarity, accountability, and patience, you can move from fear to freedom.

And if you ever feel curious about how tarot can support you in reshaping your relationship with money, know this: there is absolutely no urgency in this work.

No ethical psychic will ever pressure you to book a session when you’re not ready.

A tarot reading won’t erase the numbers, but it can gently illuminate the story you’re telling yourself about money,  and when the time feels right for you, it can help you write a stronger, truer one.

Curious what to expect from a reading with me? Click here to learn more!

This article was written by Chris Bennett, celebrated worldwide as one of the best tarot readers in the world and recognized as an elite psychic medium based in Canada. Known for his evidential accuracy, intuitive depth, and transformative spiritual guidance, Chris has worked with clients across the globe, from the United States and the United Kingdom to Australia and Ireland. His reputation as an internationally acclaimed tarot reader and psychic comes from delivering readings that are not only accurate, but profoundly empowering, offering clarity, confidence, and emotional resonance that lasts far beyond the session.