What Does It Mean When Your Left Palm Itches?

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An old and common superstition says that an itchy left palm means a sudden loss or gain of money. Some people have attributed financial wins to an itchy left palm.

Naturally, superstitions are based on belief only and not fact. The idea of a link between an itchy left palm and giving or receiving money seems common throughout the world; however, the exact interpretation of it depends on the location.

For example, in many Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Belarus an itchy left hand is often associated with money. In Belarus and Bulgaria, an itchy left hand is thought to mean that the person will receive money. In Romania, however, the superstition applies to children. A link to good fortune with money is switched to an itchy right hand, but a child's itchy left hand means the child will get beaten, which is clearly a link to outdated mores by contemporary standards.

An itchy right hand is also often linked with finances in Eastern Europe. In Bulgaria and Belarus, the itchy right hand means the person will give money away; in Belarus, it is also thought to be a harbinger of a meeting with someone new.