Man, let me tell you about a time I was really scratching my head over money. You know those periods where everything just feels tight? Like, paycheck to paycheck suddenly felt like two weeks behind, and an unexpected bill just landed on the doormat with a thud. I was there, maybe a couple of years back. Just felt stuck, you know? Like I was working my butt off, but the numbers in the bank account weren’t really moving. More like wiggling a bit, then shrinking.
I’ve always messed around a little with tarot, not like a serious reader or anything, but more like a way to kick start some thinking. When my brain gets all tangled up, sometimes just pulling a card and seeing what picture it gives me helps me untangle a thought or two. It’s not about predicting the future for me, it’s more like, “Hey, what angle am I missing here?”
So, one evening, after staring at my bank statement with a grimace, I pulled out my deck. I wasn’t even thinking about a specific card, just asking myself, “What’s the deal with this money situation, really?” And out it came. The Six of Pentacles. Now, if you know anything about that card, it’s all about charity, giving, receiving, balance, fair exchange. My immediate thought was, “Great, I need money, and this card is telling me to give it away or ask for it? I thought I was trying to earn it!”
I admit, I scoffed a bit. It felt like the universe was having a laugh at my expense. Here I am, worried sick about cash flow, and this card pops up, showing a dude distributing coins to beggars. My brain immediately went to, “Am I supposed to go beg? Or am I supposed to suddenly become a philanthropist when I can barely pay my own bills?” It felt totally off base from what I was hoping to see, which, let’s be honest, was probably the Ace of Pentacles or something promising a big windfall.
But then, I sat with it for a bit. Just looked at the image. The guy with the scales, giving out the coins, and the two people receiving. It hit me. It wasn’t just about charity in the sense of giving money to the poor. It’s about balance. It’s about being in a position to give, or being in a position to receive, and the fairness of it all. I started thinking about my own situation. Was I giving too much and not receiving enough? Or was I not seeing opportunities to either give in a way that would open doors for receiving, or perhaps too proud to even consider receiving help if I needed it?
I started digging into what “fair exchange” really meant for me. I worked freelance on the side, always doing little projects. And I suddenly remembered a client who had been dragging their feet on a fairly decent invoice for a project I’d finished a couple of months prior. I’d sent the invoice, sent a polite reminder, and then just… let it sit. I hated chasing people for money. It felt awkward, rude, like I was begging. But the 6 of Pentacles made me see it differently.
Taking Action
- First, I decided to actually track down all outstanding payments. Not just the big one, but every small gig or favor where money was involved. I had a few small ones, little bits and pieces I’d let slide because it wasn’t worth the hassle, I thought.
- Then, I drafted a very firm, but professional, email to that main client. No more polite reminders. This email was clear: payment due date was X, it’s now Y, and I expect payment within Z days. I felt a knot in my stomach doing it, but that darn card was still in my head, shouting “Fair exchange!”
- I also looked at my own spending. Was I “giving” my money away too easily to things I didn’t really need? Or was I being too stingy where a small investment could actually bring more in? It made me re-evaluate my subscriptions and a few impulse purchases I’d been making.
- Finally, I also had a conversation with a buddy. He’d mentioned he needed some help with a small website update for his side hustle, and I usually just offered to do it for free because he’s a friend. But this time, I decided to be upfront. “Hey man, I can definitely help, but I’m trying to get my finances sorted out, so I’d have to charge my usual small hourly rate.” To my surprise, he was totally cool with it. Even said he appreciated me being direct.
It sounds simple, right? Like stuff you should just do. But when you’re in that tight spot, sometimes you just get paralyzed. The 6 of Pentacles, for me, cracked that open. It wasn’t a magic wand; money didn’t just appear out of thin air. But it refocused me on the flow. It made me realize that asking for what was owed, or valuing my work enough to charge for it, wasn’t begging. It was about balance, about ensuring the scales were even. And offering to help my friend for a fee was me giving my skills in exchange for fair compensation, not just giving them away freely when I needed to prioritize my own financial stability.
That big outstanding invoice? It got paid, a couple of days after my firm email. Those smaller ones? A few trickle-paid too. And the small job for my friend brought in some extra cash that week. It wasn’t a fortune, but it was enough to breathe again. Enough to feel like I had some control back. It taught me that sometimes, the “giving and receiving” isn’t about charity, but about making sure you’re participating in a fair and balanced exchange. That’s how the 6 of Pentacles helped me with my money troubles – by making me stand up for the balance.
