4 shocking ways Mercury retrograde can mess with your money

Welcome to the calamity rodeo, folks.

We’re in the opening scenes of Mercury retrograde in Leo, which began on July 17 and will extend through August 11 when the planet goes direct in the sign of the big cat and the child star. Mercury will continue to throw a hitch in the collective giddy up until the planet clears its post-retrograde shadow or retroshade on August 25.

It’s common knowledge that Mercury rules communication and cognition, making travel, texting, and interpersonal relationships perilous during this transit. However, Mercury also governs commerce and trade, thieving, and spending, and can have a direct bearing on your finances.

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“Mercury will retrograde in Leo — the sign that rules pride, ego, and bold financial moves — so brace yourself for payment failures, mysterious charges, and tech glitches that could drain your account and leave you scrambling,” Kate Swick of Casinos Analyzer told The Post.

According to Swick, the only way to combat the chaos is to make like the planet itself “go backward. Rethink. Recheck. Reframe.”

Below, she shares the four tips she swears by to stabilize finances during this meddlesome transit.

Rethink before you spend

“Mercury Retrograde gives us a chance to lean into all the ‘re’ words, such as rethink, reorganize, reframe, and reconsider,” said Swick. “If you’ve been a little sloppy with money, this can be a wake-up call to shift how you’re spending. Mercury Retrograde can mess with your financial clarity, making it easier to miss details, rush into decisions, or act on bad info.”

Swick notes that because this retrograde is retrograding in Leo, those born under the sign of Leo and those with personal planets that fall between 4-15 degrees of Leo will be more sensitive to the energy of this transit.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

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“More often, Mercury Retrograde stirs up issues on the clerical side: things like payment errors, password resets, fraud alerts, or money-related paperwork that needs a second look,” warned Swick, who urges extra caution during this window. “It can cause miscommunication and mistakes, so always double-check your financial contracts, agreements, and transactions under this energy.”

She noted that Mercury retrograde increases the likelihood that a canceled subscription will fall through or a monthly charge will go unnoticed.

Keep an eye on your bottom line so you don’t slip up.

Take your life from messy to managed

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Swick shared that while Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky, we can mirror that energy to our ultimate benefit.

“Mercury Retrograde is the perfect time to handle the practical stuff we usually put off, like backing up data, checking passport dates, or updating beneficiaries. Small actions, such as adding a beneficiary to your bank account or creating a password cheat sheet, can save you major headaches later. When you lean into this energy by tying up loose ends and protecting what matters, you come out more grounded and prepared.”

Don’t let stress run the show

“Mercury is not directly responsible for making bad decisions, but it is known to be a bit of a trickster,” Swick explained. “It can affect how we react to stress and how clearly we think.”

Things to avoid: unnecessary purchases and the tantalizing bait of conflict.

“Mercury Retrograde isn’t ideal for big, bold financial moves. It’s not the time to dive into major investments or start something entirely new. But that doesn’t mean you have to hit pause on everything.”

Swick shared that by slowing down our reaction time and taking care to review details, we can stay in control and operate from a place of balanced reason rather than poor impulse control.

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Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.