5 Money Superstitions We Keep Believing

Even though only 13% of the American population define themselves as superstitious, 35% will act superstitiously if a chance presents itself, like picking up a penny from the ground for good luck. (Source: MSN)

I feel like no matter your culture, background or upbringing, there are always money beliefs, or old wives tales about money, that we hear about and carry with us. 

1. Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck (but only if it’s heads up!)

You may know this if you're an avid fan of the movie Grease, but this old saying is something that has been long sung in England.

It's probably one of the most known money superstitions around the world… if you’re not familiar, it’s been said that if you see a penny on the ground, picking it up will bring you good luck. This likely stemmed from folklore about iron and other metals warding off evil spirits. (Source: Yolt)

However, this is conditional! Only pennies facing heads up are good luck, and pennies that are tails up will lead to bad luck and should be left alone.

Click here to pin this:

2. A purse on the floor is money out the door.

This is a Chinese proverb that warns us that it is bad Fung Shui to keep our purses on the floor. From a practicality and cleanliness perspective, it makes a ton of sense - there are dirt and germs everywhere! But this is more likely to come from a place of respect: your money, checkbook and credit cards are typically in your handbag, and putting your purse on the floor shows disregard for your wealth.

In fact, Chinese culture highly encourages you to keep your purse waist-height or higher at all times, as to never disrespect your money or wealth. (Source: SNB)

3. A spider in your pocket will keep it full of cash.

While spiders have a long history of scaring people away, some types of spiders have been said to provide great wealth if you can pocket one. Similarly, it’s been said that if you find a money spider in your hair, it is also a sign of good luck and increased riches.

According to superstitions from Great Britain, Australia, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, when a money spider (the really small ones, from the family of spiders called Linyphiidae) runs over clothes you're wearing, or if you catch it and put it in your pocket, you will never again lack money. Depending on how you feel about spiders, that may or may not seem like a good trade-off!

4. You can't give a purse with no money in it, or else it will never have money in it. Money attracts money!

Something you may have heard from your grandma or other older relatives is that purses and wallets should always have a little money in them if they are given as gifts. Even if you just add a coin, it is thought to bring good luck to the receiver. (Source: Huffington Post)

This is a money belief that exists all over the world, but is especially prevalent in Italy (the home of many lovely leather purses and wallets), Russia, and many Eastern European countries.

5. Talking about money is bad luck.

An old wives tale about money that was believed for centuries is that it's bad luck to talk about money. In Nigerian culture, it’s been believed that openly talking about money invites others to inflict curses on you (source: Medium). But curses or not, talking about money is still something that is not done (or even considered in poor taste) around the world.

My take on this is… bad luck for who?! It won’t be news to you that I don’t think this is true. I think we all - but especially women - should talk about money all the time and make it a less taboo subject. And with over half of millennial women not feeling confident about their finances, we can’t afford not to talk about money.

Why do we believe in superstitions about money?

Some people are superstitious because it can have a soothing effect, relieving anxiety about the unknown and giving them a sense of control over their lives. (Source: Medical News Today)  It can also be a tradition thing, as these beliefs are passed from generation to generation.

But whether you’re super conscious of it or not, these seemingly harmless money superstitions may actually have an impact on your general mindset about money. These old wives tales about money may be a little bit of fun, but don’t let them contribute to limiting beliefs about money or a scarcity mindset.

Make sure you sign up for my weekly newsletter for financial tips, hot topics in women's empowerment, and first dibs (and discounts) on spicy new releases!