I love to wake up with the distinct memory of a dream swirling around in my mind. As a teenager I kept a small dream journal beside my bed. Now I jot them down on my iPhone. My dream journals reflect my thoughts, anxieties, successes and worries throughout the years. While my dreams have changed one thing is certain; more than anything else I dream about money. What do all of those money dreams mean?
Here is what I can remember from my latest money dream.
My son is running along the sandy beach a few feet ahead of me. As the waves crash along the shore they fill his tiny footprints with salty water. He quickens his pace and moves farther into the distance. Soon I can only see the outline of his body. When I look back towards the beach I spot something shimmering just below the water. I dig down and find a glimmering gold coin poking out from the sand. When I glance back in my son’s direction I see every footprint is glistening with gold. I call out to my son to come see what I found. We sift through the sand and find so many coins that we can’t possibly carry them all.
That’s when I woke up. For a moment I could still feel the weight of those coins in my arms. Then I turned off the alarm and started my day.
As a teenager I researched dream interpretation and scoured the library for the meaning behind those money dreams. I recently stumbled upon those long forgotten notes. Here is what I found.
What Does Money Symbolize
Money is often a symbol of power and self-worth. If you find abundant wealth in your dreams you probably feel confident and successful in real life. You may also feel that your life provides ample opportunities and possibilities.
If you lack money in a dream you may lack self-confidence, power, energy, excitement or certainty.
Finding Money in a Dream
When you dream about finding money it typically means you are feeling positive, happy or hopeful. Things are going well for you.
If you find money in a dream you might feel successful in real life. Perhaps you are rocking your love life, recently received a promotion at work or were simply given kudos by someone you admire. These can show up as a suitcase full of cash or a vault full of gold in your dreams.
Oddly enough money in dreams rarely represents tangible wealth. It typically means you find value in yourself. You believe in your potential and are confident you can achieve your dreams. This could mean finding a life partner, getting promoted or simply feeling positive and hopeful about your future.
If you dream about finding coins you might be on the path to happiness and success. It’s a sign that things are going well for you. That you are optimistic about your path in life and that you feel confident that your current choices will lead you to happiness.
Where You Find Money Matters
In dreams the location of your new found wealth matters.
If you find a trail of money in your dream it might be a sign that you should stay the course. That you are on the proper path. On the other hand if money is scattered you should consider exploring your opportunities and weighing your options. It might be time to make a big life change like moving to another location or switching careers.
Sometimes we have to work hard to reach the money we find in our dreams. Perhaps you find a bag of money in a tree or have to search for buried treasure with an old fashioned treasure map. Do you feel bothered by an obstacle in real life? Is someone or something preventing you from reaching your desired goal? When you remove those obstacles you might achieve your dreams.
Buried treasure can also mean working hard to solve a problem. Have you recently solved a problem that has been bothering you for a long time? This dream could represent the result of your efforts or the fact that you will find a solution soon.
If you find money in the dirt you are most likely grounded. In the water you are at peace and relaxed. In the air you may need to act creatively to attain your goals.
Losing Money in a Dream
Men might dream of losing a wallet. Women might dream of losing a purse. Sometimes you just dream of losing a big pile of cash or watching your dollar bills blow into the wind.
No matter how you lost the money if finding money means that things are going well it’s pretty safe to assume that losing money might reflect opposing feelings. Are you fearful of a future decision or do you think you’ve already made the wrong one? These can all manifest as losing money in a dream.
You might lose money in a dream if you’ve recently broken up with someone or experienced the recent death of a loved one. Losing money typically involves a negative emotional state such as feeling anxious, depressed or empty. It can also mean you are uncertain about your future.
Sometimes losing money in dreams symbolizes losing power or energy. It can represent a failed relationship that you didn’t want to end or a layoff or career setback that you weren’t expecting.
It can also mean your life is feeling slightly out of control. We all need money to buy food and provide shelter. These dreams can represent a feeling of hopelessness that you can’t provide for yourself or those you love.
What if you dream about losing your wallet then finding it? That can be a sign of hope. With hard work and determination you can turn your situation around. Maybe a relationship can be rekindled or a goal can still be attained.
Dream About Holding Money
If you dream about holding money in your hand it may be a sign that you are at a crossroads. You have the means to make a decision, but you aren’t sure which way to turn or which way to go.
This dream might make you question a big decision in your life. Maybe you are considering making a move in your career or relationships. You have the power to make that decision, (as symbolized by the money in your hand), but you aren’t certain what to do.
This dream may be a reflection of your future goals and the indecision involved in pursuing a new path.
Dream About Finding Stolen Money or Stealing Money
If you dream about stealing money it might mean you are feeling very worried and stressed in real life. Perhaps you are taking big risks or interacting with people who are not good influences on your soul.
Finding stolen money can mean you are making the wrong decisions or that you need to break bad habits.
These dreams can occur when you are fighting with people or in a disagreement that threatens your long term relationships. Stealing money might represent feeling bold in your dreams. It can be a sign that you need to act brave or act with more conviction.
When you wake think carefully about who you are stealing from. Does this person makes you feel powerless in real life?
Dream About Giving Money or Lending Someone Money
If you dream about giving someone money you are most likely worried about this person in real life. You may feel the need to help this person find their path, get back on their feet or to stop someone from hurting themselves or those they love.
If you are happy to give away the money than you desperately want to support this friend or family member. If you are nervous about giving away the money you may feel stretched, burdened or anxious about their situation and unsure whether or not you can help them.
Are you giving to someone who will benefit from the money you provided or will this person burn through your funds and come back looking for more? Your feelings can radically alter the meaning of this dream.
Dream About Counting Money
If you dream about counting money it often means you are evaluating your abilities in real life. Are you feeling stuck or in need of a change? Do you believe you need to reinvent yourself or try something new? Perhaps you are feeling less creative, less intelligent or less powerful lately. These can all manifest as dreams where you count your money and consider your past and future success.
Counting money in a dream can also symbolize an unfair situation in real life. Were you turned down for a promotion or looked over for an important project at work? Do you feel like you didn’t get what you deserved? You may be counting money because you feel shortchanged.
Dream About Withdrawing Money From the Bank
This dream depends a lot on the emotions and feelings associated with it. Are you dreaming about walking up to an ATM and withdrawing money from the bank of your own accord or do you have a gun to your back when you withdraw it?
In the first situation you have a lot of power and control over your life. You have the means to follow through on your goals and to make the majority of your wishes come true. In the second scenario you feel powerless and fearful.
Also, when you withdraw the money do you have enough in your bank account to cover your needs or do you have to take out less than you wanted? This can mean you feel secure in a decision or the exact opposite.
Dream About Buying Something
If you dream about buying new clothes it can mean you are searching for a new identity. Maybe you are feeling insecure among a new group of friends or feel like you aren’t qualified to perform work as well as your coworkers.
When you step up to pay the bill is your credit card declined? This can be a sign that you lack confidence and feel hopeless about the situation. On the other hand, if you successfully swipe your credit card you feel capable of improving your situation or succeeding where you previously failed.
Shopping can also mean searching for opportunities. Are you searching for a new job or relationship? Are you considering a big move to a new state or considering a change in career? Buying something new can symbolize making the decision and feeling confident about your choice.
Dream About Being Rich
If you dream about being rich you probably feel satisfied. You are most likely happy or believe that a new change in your life will bring about infinite happiness. It also means you have few material worries.
When you feel rich you feel powerful and enlightened. You have what you want in life and yearn for little else.
Winning Money in a Dream
Sometimes we find money in our dreams and other times we win it. If you dream of winning the lottery it probably means you are feeling lucky in real life. Just like finding money or feeling rich this is a symbol that things are going well in your life. You might feel on top of the world.
Finding Meaning In Your Money Dreams
When you wake take a second to reflect on your dreams and write down what you remember. See if the symbols of money and wealth have a greater meaning in your real life. The details listed above may be applicable to your dreams or they may mean something completely unrelated. The only way to know is to try to interpret them for yourself. What are your dreams trying to tell you?
Interpret My Dream
What does my money dream mean? I think it’s symbolic of my relatively stress free life. I’m at the beach, (a place I love), with one of my children. We have so much to be thankful for that we can’t lug all of our riches home. In the dream I’m not upset about leaving the coins behind. We gather as much as we can carry and happily leave the rest behind for someone else to find.