Sacred Spending: A Soft Place to Land When Money Feels Tight

A few weeks ago, I was invited to try on a new money mantra:

“Every dollar I spend returns to me doubled.”

At first, I paused. I felt into my body, like I always do when someone offers me a spiritual tool. Doubled? That felt…possible. A bit stretchy, sure, but not in a way that sent my nervous system into red alert. It felt like a prayer I could lean into.

The more feisty part of me got excited and said, “Ooh! What about fivefold?” That one made me laugh, but also felt surprisingly okay—like a bold claim whispered with a wink. Then came the suggestion to go even further: “Every dollar I spend returns to me tenfold.”

Nope. My stomach tightened. My chest got hot. My body said an emphatic absolutely not. Not because it wasn’t theoretically possible, but because it didn’t feel true for me, right now. And that’s when I remembered a truth I come back to again and again:

Affirmations are only useful if your body believes them.

If your nervous system tightens around a statement, that’s not failure—it’s information. It’s a sacred cue to adjust, to meet yourself where you are. There is no spiritual prize for reciting mantras that feel like lies. Trust builds in layers, not leaps.

The Grocery Store Oracle

You want to know where I really notice scarcity thinking?

The grocery store.

There’s something about standing in front of rising prices—milk, bread, eggs—that can suddenly summon all the old scripts:

“These prices just keep getting higher!”

“There’s no way we can afford this much longer.”

“Everything is falling apart.”

I call these thoughts the internal doomsayers. They mean well, in their own way. They’re trying to protect me. They think panicking might help. But now, I catch them mid-monologue. I don’t shame them—I acknowledge them, gently. And then I offer a shift.

“Hi, fear. I see you. I know you’re worried. I love how youa re looking out for me. Let’s take a deep breath and move forward together. ”

“Even if it seems scary right now, we have always had what we needed, even when it didn’t come the way we expected.”

It’s not about pretending fear doesn’t exist. It’s about meeting fear with love and acceptance and while you are holding fear’s hand, gently turning toward trust, one thought at a time.

Mantras That Meet You Where You Are

If you want to begin shifting your relationship with money—especially in everyday moments like buying groceries—try experimenting with a mantra that your body can actually accept. Here are a few that have worked for me:

• “Every dollar I spend returns to me doubled.”

• “I always have what I need.”

• “The money I spend blesses others and circles back to bless me.”

• “I live in a generous Universe that knows my needs.”

You don’t have to say them out loud (though you can!). Just think them quietly as you load your cart or swipe your card. See how they feel. Adjust them if they don’t fit. Let your body be your tuning fork—not your fear.

It can also be helpful to think about the people who are going to benefit from the money you are sending out. You pay your utility bill and some of that money helps utility workers feed their families. You buy produce at the market, and that helps the farmers. You have lunch with a friend at a local restaurant and the money you spend there helps all kinds of people- the servers, the suppliers who bring the food to the restaurant, etc. Seeing your “expense” as generosity towards others can feel really great!

The Sacred Practice of Trust

Next time you find yourself calculating the cost of your cart or worrying about next month’s bills, pause. Breathe. Notice what you’re telling yourself. Notice if your body tightens. Then try offering a new possibility—not as a magic spell, but as a soft invitation:

“Releasing resources allows them to flow to those they will benefit and back to me again. “

That’s how trust builds: in grocery store aisles, during laundry loads, while paying for everyday life. Not by bypassing reality—but by weaving faith into it.

The truth is, you’re not alone. You’re not forgotten. And the Divine isn’t just in your altar space or in your house of worship—it’s in the checkout line too.