Five of Pentacles Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed & Love

Two ragged figures trudge through a snowstorm, barefoot and hunched against the cold. One walks on crutches. Behind them, a stained-glass window glows with warm light from a church — help is right there, but they do not look up. The Five of Pentacles is the card of hardship, but also of the help you refuse to see.

Quick Reference

Upright Meaning

The Five of Pentacles is one of the most difficult cards in the deck, and it deals in real-world pain. When it appears upright, you are going through genuine material hardship — job loss, debt, unexpected expenses, health problems, or a period of deep financial insecurity. The cold is not metaphorical. You are feeling it in your bones.

But the cruelest aspect of this card is not the hardship itself — it is the isolation. The two figures walk past the church without entering. Help exists, support is available, resources are there, but pride, shame, or despair keeps you from reaching out. You may believe you are alone in your struggle, that no one understands, or that asking for help makes you weak. This belief is the real enemy.

The Five of Pentacles does not promise that things will stay this way. Every five in tarot represents a challenge — a necessary passage through difficulty that leads to growth. The snow will melt. But getting through it faster requires you to look up and walk through the door.

Reversed Meaning

When the Five of Pentacles reverses, the worst is over. You are coming out of a period of financial difficulty, health challenges, or emotional isolation. Recovery has begun. It may be slow — a new job after months of searching, a debt payment plan that is finally working, or the first signs of physical healing — but the direction has changed.

The reversed Five also often indicates that you have finally accepted help. Perhaps you reached out to a friend, applied for assistance, hired a financial advisor, or simply admitted that you could not do it alone. This act of humility is what turned things around. Let the relief wash over you, but remember the lesson: you never have to suffer in silence.

In Love & Relationships

If you are single: The Five of Pentacles suggests feeling left out in the cold — perhaps rejected, lonely, or believing that love is something that happens to other people but not to you. This mindset is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are worthy of love and connection, even in your darkest moments. Do not let financial stress or low self-worth convince you otherwise.

If you are in a relationship: The partnership is under strain, likely from external pressures like money problems, health issues, or job loss. The danger is not the hardship itself but allowing it to drive a wedge between you. Lean on each other instead of withdrawing. Face the storm together, and the relationship will emerge stronger.

In Career & Finances

This is the card no one wants to see in a financial reading, but it delivers an essential message. You may be dealing with unemployment, a business failure, mounting debt, or an unexpected financial blow. The situation feels dire, and your confidence is shaken.

However, the Five of Pentacles also points to overlooked resources. Are there government programs, community organizations, professional networks, or friends who could help? Have you explored all your options, or has shame prevented you from asking? Practically speaking: update your resume, reach out to your network, consult a financial counselor, and cut non-essential expenses. This is survival mode, and survival requires action, not despair. The hardship is temporary. Your response to it will define what comes next.

As Advice

Look up. The Five of Pentacles tells you that help is closer than you think, but you have to be willing to see it and accept it. Swallow your pride. Reach out. Apply for that program, call that friend, ask for that extension. The church door is open — walk through it. Hardship tests your character, but isolation breaks it.

Card Combinations

• Five of Pentacles + The Star: Hope after hardship. The Star promises healing, renewal, and a brighter future. Your suffering has not been in vain — something beautiful is emerging.
• Five of Pentacles + Six of Pentacles: Help is literally on its way. Someone will offer you financial assistance, a job, or a resource that changes your situation. Accept it graciously.
• Five of Pentacles + Ten of Pentacles: The struggle leads to eventual wealth and family security. What you endure now is laying the foundation for long-term prosperity.

Explore more tarot card meanings in our Complete Tarot Card Meanings Guide, or if you are just starting out, check out our Tarot for Beginners Guide.