Why Spending Money Feels Scary (and How to Tap Through It)

Does spending money make you feel anxious—even when you can afford it?

Maybe your stomach drops when you click "checkout." Maybe you hesitate to invest in yourself, feel guilty after treating yourself, or avoid looking at your bank account altogether. If so, you’re not alone. For many people, spending money can feel scary—and it’s not just about numbers. It’s about emotions, beliefs, and old stories running under the surface.

Let’s talk about why that fear shows up—and how EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can help you shift it.

Where the Fear of Spending Comes From

Fear of spending money isn’t irrational. It often stems from experiences in childhood, past financial struggles, or messages you picked up about money being unsafe, wasteful, or something to fear.

Here are some common beliefs that drive that fear:

“If I spend this, I won’t have enough later.”

“I shouldn’t spend money on myself.”

“I need to hold on to everything just in case.”

“I’m bad with money, so I can’t trust myself.”

Even if you logically know you're okay financially, your nervous system might still be stuck in survival mode. That’s where EFT comes in.

What Is EFT (Tapping), and Why It Helps

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)—or “tapping”—is a simple, body-based practice that helps calm anxiety and shift emotional patterns. It works by tapping on specific acupressure points on the body while acknowledging the thoughts or feelings you're experiencing.

When it comes to money fears, EFT helps you:

Acknowledge the fear without judging it

Calm your body’s stress response

Rewire limiting beliefs about spending and scarcity

It’s like clearing out old programming and updating your emotional “software.”

A Simple EFT Sequence for Fear of Spending

Try this the next time you feel anxious about spending:

Name your fear: On a scale of 0–10, how strong is it?

Begin tapping on the side of your hand (karate chop point) and repeat:

“Even though I feel scared to spend this money, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

Repeat 3 times.

Tap through the points (eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm, top of head):

“I feel nervous spending this money.”

“What if I regret it?”

“What if I won’t have enough later?”

“It feels unsafe to let it go.”

“I’ve been taught to fear this.”

“But maybe I don’t have to live in fear forever.”

“What if spending could feel safe?”

“I’m open to trusting myself with money.”

Pause, breathe, and check in. Has the intensity gone down?

Final Thoughts

You’re not wrong or broken for feeling scared to spend. That fear is a messenger—one that may be rooted in old stories or survival responses. But it doesn’t have to control you.

With tapping, you can start releasing that fear and replacing it with a sense of safety, trust, and empowerment. You deserve a healthy, grounded relationship with money—and that includes being able to spend it in ways that support and nourish you.