Libra (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22)
What you have trouble with: Your Venus-ruled sign is known for romantic getaways and fine dining. Yet, it's hard to stretch your dollar after you've bought tickets for two to Costa Rica. You can keep the love alive without enacting a picture-perfect fantasy.
How to deal: A home-packed picnic in the park can be just as lovely as a meal at a five-star restaurant. Replace the string quartet with an iPod and portable speakers; the champagne with sparkling apple cider; and know that the planning itself is a romantic gesture.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21)
What you have trouble with: Do you steer towards the dark or the light? Your spending might go overboard on thrice-weekly meetings with your analyst, or on toys for the bedroom. You're known for going to extremes, so when you commit to a life pattern, you go all the way -- and so does your checking account.
How to deal: If anything, you have a gift for control -- so if you put your mind to it, you can put the vice grip on your spending. However, your Pluto-ruled sign can have a propensity towards compulsion. Call it an addiction or whatever else you want, but if your extremism is getting out of hand, get help.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)
What you have trouble with: Your ruling planet Jupiter is the god of excess. Going overboard is part of your nature, if only because you are so enthusiastic: If one is good, three is better! However, unless you have an infinitely-expanding wallet, it's time to reign in your spending impulses.
How to deal: Get on your moral high horse, and preach about the ethics of conspicuous consumption -- but only if you include yourself in the audience. If that doesn't work, fulfill your religious yearnings by doing service work instead of window shopping. With your big-picture perspective, you know that doing the right thing is the quickest (and cheapest) way to heaven.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19)
What you have trouble with: Status and reputation are everything, according to the Goat's handbook. Therefore, only the best will do for Capricorn. Recession news stories illustrate how big players have to maintain the second home and all the trappings of wealth in order to show they have still "got it," and thus keep their important jobs. However, spending your way into debt to keep up appearances is a recipe for disaster.
How to deal: Not every Capricorn has tailored suits and membership to private clubs, of course. But whether you're a CEO or a sales clerk, you need to find a way to "look right" without overspending. It's best to do away with the expenses that everyone else can't see. For example, maintain your clothing budget but have a stayvacation instead of a trip to Aspen.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)
What you have trouble with: Whether you're a philanthropist or a geek, you like to spend your money on things that make you feel you're ahead of the curve. For some it means owning the latest tech gadgets. For others it's airfare to third world countries to help the unfortunate masses. Whether your spending is for good or for Good 2.0, you've bitten off more than you can chew.
How to deal: You're an expert at thinking outside the box, so you can probably find ways to still get what you want without spending money on it. Become a tech journalist to get freebies, or start a nonprofit to raise funds for your trip to the Sudan. Bottom line, you can change the world with a dollar and a dream.
Pisces (Feb. 19 to March 20)
What you have trouble with: The escape addict of the zodiac, you have so many ways to spend your money: music, movies ... beer. Sometimes you'll go to any length to transcend the humdrum of daily life, and the money just slips through your fingers. (It's all illusion, anyway...)
How to deal: With sites like MySpace Music and Imeem, you can stream most recordings for free. (That's right, it's not stealing!) And with websites like Hulu and services like Netflix, you can watch hours of streaming movies from the comfort of your computer. Now, the beer, that's another story...
About the Author
Jeffrey Kishner is editor and publisher of Sasstrology.com, a blog about the astrology of sex, love and celebrities. He has been counseling astrology clients since 2001.
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