Dear Oracle, I’ve always had anxiety about money. I’ve had some scary broke points in the past, but now, I’m doing OK. My debt is pretty modest, and I have a full-time job plus a side hustle, plus my partner also works full-time. We have a little bit of savings, and if something bad happens (medical bill, car breakdown), it would be a stretch, but we could probably make it work without missing rent. All in all, we’re doing fine… but I just feel like we’re always on a cliff’s edge. I know logically I should let it go and feel OK about spending money on a treat or not feel bad if I have to miss a shift at work, but I don’t. The pandemic definitely made these fears worse, but with things settling back down, I should feel OK, right? Do the cards have any advice on how to not worry about losing everything all the time, especially if it’s not necessarily true? I don’t want to become a Scrooge McDuck type of person who’s frugal like hell for no reason, but I also don’t want to be homeless. Any advice?—Penny Pincher
Follow @theyboracle on Instagram. DM your questions or send them to oracle@cltampa.com.
Cards: The Hierophant, Three of Swords, Waning Gibbous, Ace of Cups
Dear Penny, it might be surprising to some that no pentacle cards came tumbling out with this pull. They are, after all, the symbols of work and finance, about the tangible things we covet and desire. But worrying about money is never really about the coin, as anyone who has ever had a card decline in the grocery line can tell you. It’s about security, about being able to feed and clothe and house yourself, and about believing that whatever happens in the future, those needs will be met.
The first card I want to address is the Three of Swords. I’ve written before that this card can be the card of survivors, and I think that’s true here. You’ve mentioned that you’ve had “scary broke” times in the past, and that messed with your sense of security. You do say that your debt is small and you have some savings, which is very good to hear. A larger nest egg might make you feel more anchored, but I’m unsure it would solve the underlying issue.
With The Hierophant, I wonder if it might help your anxiety to speak with a financial counselor. They can help you navigate institutions and talk to you about your debt and your savings goals. If you and your partner share finances, I’d also highly encourage you both to speak about it openly and possibly see the counselor together. In this case, all information is good, and seeing things laid out in quantifiable numbers might be the tonic you need.
With the Waning Gibbous, this is a time to release, and I hope you’re able to release some of this anxiety. We are still in a pandemic filled with uncertainty, so I understand that it can be hard to find your footing.
But, perhaps, you may also quell some of this anxiety with volunteer work. The United States government is not known or celebrated for its social safety nets, but we have quite a network of charities and aid organizations. Tampa Bay itself is filled with charities and has a long history of mutual aid societies, particularly in Ybor.
The Ace of Cups is an agape kind of love, ancient and giving, and volunteering might have a two-fold benefit: you’ll be helping your fellow human, and you’ll be able to explore alternative safety nets if you need them. Perhaps if you knew where you could turn to for a bag of groceries or for health care, if you knew the ins and outs of how to access these in the worst-case scenario, then you would feel more settled.
I don’t think you’re at a miserly Scrooge McDuck phase just yet (great reference, BTW), and I believe these wounds will take some time to heal, but I hope you can find some relief. Take care, my dear.
Dear Oracle, my partner and I just moved into our first home (yay!), and there are so many things I want to accomplish making our new space exactly how I always imagined. Unfortunately, I seem to be collecting projects very quickly, and I’m having a hard time deciding where to focus my attention. I feel like I can group them into two categories: inside projects and outside projects. Should I start on landscaping and external beautification, or do I finish working on organizing that office space and making a spare bedroom a place someone would actually want to stay?—Deeply Indecisive Youth
Cards: High Priestess, Judgment, Seven of Wands, Five of Swords
Dear DIY (well played!), in the tradition of tarot readings, the cards will not answer your direct question and instead tell you some shit about your own psychology and deep-seated issues regarding how others perceive you.
With Judgment and The High Priestess, your home is not just a house for you. It is a deeply personal place that you are using as a physical and spiritual haven and as a place to establish your new identity as an adult. The Seven of Wands can also be a card of spiritual protection, the last barrier before you tumble off a cliff.
The Five of Swords, however, is the ego block. It’s about image and about people perceiving you as a winner—regardless of how you really feel. There’s a difference between taking pride in your home and keeping up with HGTV.
So really, take time to think about how you want to feel in your home, not just how it looks to others. After all, this is your retreat from the world, so be mindful and craft the retreat you need, not what you think it’s supposed to be.
So perhaps start inside, craft those spaces, and tackle outside in the spring. You’ve got time!
Support local journalism in these crazy days. Our small but mighty team works tirelessly to bring you news on how coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. Please consider making a one time or monthly donation to help support our staff. Every little bit helps.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow @cl_tampabay on Twitter.
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2021.