Left Hand Itching

What Does Your Left Hand Itching Mean?

You may have heard the phrase “left hand itching” and have been curious about where it comes from and what it means in personal finance. 

Having your palms itch is a superstition that has several different meanings based on what culture you come from or what religion you follow. 

Your left hand itching is a sensation or tingling feeling, and for some, this is believed to be good luck, but for others, it’s believed to be a sign of misfortune.

In this article, the concept of having an itchy left palm can mean both good and bad things, as the superstition goes, but like all superstitions, most of these reasons are not grounded in science.

Scientifically speaking, an itchy left hand may be tied to a medical issue.

What Does Your Left Hand Itching Mean in Money?

In money, having an itchy left palm is a superstition that can mean several different things.

While having an itchy left palm can mean several things, the general meaning is that when your left hand itches, you're about to have money leave you.

This could be from something unlucky like a hidden expense, or it could be you’re about to invest money in something that will pay you later.

On the other hand, it's common to believe that when your right hand itches, you're about to have money come in.

Some believe an itchy right hand means good fortune and that it’s time to play the lottery.

That said, itchy hands mean different things in different cultures, and some believe that an itchy left palm means one thing for men and another thing for women.

Itchy Left Palm in Men

Beliefs exist that when a man’s left hand itches, it’s a negative sign related to money. That is, you might lose money from an unexpected expense.

On the other hand, an itchy right hand for men is considered good fortune by some, meaning money may be coming your way or that you’ll meet someone who will bring something beneficial to your life.

Itchy Left Palm in Women

While it’s sometimes considered unlucky for men to have an itchy left palm, it’s quite the opposite for women.

For women, it’s frequently believed that having their left hand itch means good fortune is coming their way, such as a raise at work.

With that in mind, a right hand that itches might mean misfortune is coming.

Itchy Left Hand in Culture

For some cultures, having a left hand that itches is good luck. But, on the other hand, the reverse is true.

In Ukraine, it’s believed that when you have an itchy left hand, you’ll have money entering your life soon.

Those of Serbia believe that when you have an itchy left hand, you’ll have great luck with gambling. 

Unlike Serbia, in Bulgaria, itchy hands mean bad luck regarding money and gambling.

You can see that the meaning of an itchy hand can mean different things in different places.

The key thing to remember is that scientifically, there is no relationship between itchy hands and luck with money,

Should You Play the Lottery if Your Left Hand Itches?

Superstitions exist that if your hands itch, this is a sign to play the lottery. In fact, some swear that they played and won the lottery after having itchy palms.

Realistically speaking, itchy hands do not correlate with luck, and some would argue that playing the lottery is never a good idea as the odds are incredibly slim that you’ll ever win the jackpot.

It can be tempting to fall into superstitions about making massive amounts of money to change your life, but this can potentially harm your finances as acting on impulse or without research may not work out in your favor.

Other Money Superstitions

Here are some other money superstitions that you might find interesting.

• In Chinese culture, it’s considered bad Feng Shui to put your purse on the floor as the Chinese proverb goes, “A purse on the floor is money out the door.”
• In Turkey, it’s considered good luck if a bird poops on you. Some even say that you should buy a lottery ticket if this happens.
• In Latino tradition, it’s good fortune to hold money in your hand when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.
• In some countries, catching a spider and placing it in your pocket means you’ll have money woven into your life in the near future.
• Freezing your credit card is thought to save you money, as when you take it out of the freezer to use it, it will take a substantial amount of time for the ice to melt or for you to break it. This will give you time to change your mind and not purchase whatever you had planned.

How Did The Itchy Palms Superstition Start?

The Celts in the pre-Christian era believed that rubbing their skin on silver would cure almost any ailment. They would then rub their itchy hands on silver.

As time passed, beliefs formed that itchy palms meant that you would receive silver soon.

Eventually, Roma fortune tellers altered the version to what many believe today, which is that the right hand means money is coming your way.

Scientific and Medical Reasons for an Itchy Palm

When it comes to science, there is no correlation for your palms to itch as it relates to money. It’s pure superstition, and making a financial decision based solely on an itchy left hand is probably not in your best interest.

Medically speaking, itchy palms can be related to allergies, irritation, dryness, or more serious medical conditions like diabetes.

Things to Note About Superstitions

According to the International Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Science, superstitions can help reduce anxiety as our primitive ancestors “could not understand the forces and whims of [the] natural world.”

The article states that superstitions have “evolved” to produce “a false sense of having control over outer conditions.”

When your right hand is itching, it likely means nothing, scientifically, relating to money, however, it's popular in many cultures to attribute an itchy right hand to good fortune.