The Four of Pentacles represent frugal living, saving money, being conservative with your spending, and keeping control of money. 

It can have two meanings. If you appreciate the accumulated wealth, you are purposely living a frugal lifestyle so you can save money for what you want. 

However, it can also mean living in a mindset of lack and being cheap.  

Let’s go over the appearance and history of the Four of Pentacles.

History And Appearance of Four of Pentacles

The Four of Pentacles is a tarot card that has been around for centuries. 

The precise history and origin of the card are unknown, but it is believed to date back to medieval Europe. 

The card was thought to represent materialism, greed, and stinginess; today, the same can apply. 

In some decks, the Four of Pentacles is also known as the "Lord of Earth" or the "Materialist."

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the appearance of the Four of Pentacles is a man sitting on a stool as he is holding onto a coin so tight that he fears he could lose it. 

He keeps another coin in balance on his head, representing his crown chakra, which shows his connection to the spirit. 

The two others are beneath his feet, keeping them secure. It is obvious he does not want anyone taking his coins. 

However, he cannot do anything because he is keeping a tight reign on his money. 

He does not have anyone to speak to, and he is stuck in one place with one obsession, which is having money. 

What does the Four of Pentacles mean in a reading? Let’s talk about that. 

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What The Four of Pentacles Means In A Reading

How the Four of Pentacles plays out depends on the other cards surrounding it. 

If the cards surrounding this card represent abundance, you would simply live a frugal lifestyle to save up for the beautiful things you want. 

Frugality is not the same as being cheap, as everyone should live a frugal lifestyle. 

It means you are careful with what you spend, but you will not hesitate to buy items of good quality that you will need. 

There is a lot of stability, and you are grounded.

This is a good time to focus on practical matters and save for the future. 

However, the other side of Four of Pentacles shows that you believe you are poor and have to hang onto every penny. 

You are not living frugally. 

You are cheap by buying the lowest quality products in small quantities, which means you barely live. 

The Four of Pentacles can indicate that you feel possessive and materialistic. 

This can manifest as hoarding or being overly attached to possessions. 

You may be fixated on security and fear change. 

The querent may be fixated on security and afraid of change. 

The Four of Pentacles can also indicate that you feel blocked from others. 

You may withhold support or love for fear of losing what they have. 

This can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

You may need to let go of their attachments to open up to others.

Again that depends on the surrounding cards, whether you are living a frugal lifestyle, isolated, or hanging on to every penny you have. 

Let’s go back to some storytelling and numerology. 

The four represent stability, manifestation, and structure.

As you know, this mom who wants to leave her job and start her new business must be focused. 

The Ace of Pentacles represents this mom creating this side hustle so she can start to grow it and eventually leave the job she dislikes. 

The Two of Pentacles represents this mom having to juggle motherhood, working with the new business, her existing job, and the home. 

The Three of Pentacles represents this mom reaching out to others and working with them on a plan for marketing and other aspects of this business. 

And yet, because this mom has this new business, she has to watch her money. 

There is a shoestring budget involved, meaning she has to be practical with how she grows it, representing the Four of Pentacles. 

Now, what about the Four of Pentacles reversed?

Four of Pentacles Reversed

If you have the Four of Pentacles in reverse, it can mean you are overspending and not watching your dollars. 

Or, it can also represent living in a lack mindset where you hang onto every penny, as it can in the upright position.

Those two scenarios are easy to imagine. 

It is easy to spend on the things you want without considering your expenses and the things you need. 

The next thing you know, you are in debt and will have to scrape by to pay off that debt while you buy the necessities. 

It is best never to get yourself in that position, as I did once. I lived and learned, however. 

And regarding the lack mindset, if you have been disappointed in life, you will think you are meant to struggle financially and in any other way. 

That can be very detrimental to you, as I admit I still struggle with this area, and many of those with mental illnesses struggle. 

It boils down to not having much self-esteem and having faced so many previous disappointments. 

Let's talk about how you can use this card in your life. 

How To Use The Four of Pentacles In Your Life

This is an easy one because the advice that this card gives you is to spend within your means. 

You don't want to be cheap, but be mindful. Be frugal with your lifestyle. 

If you spent too much money last month, take out the Four of Pentacles, so you have the reminder to be more mindful with your spending. 

It is also a reminder to budget and set a monthly budget so you spend within your means. 

You can allow a bit of room for extra in case you need to send a gift or a donation. 

If you can do that, you will be in decent shape financially. 

The next card I will go over is the Five of Pentacles.