Can You Really Manifest Money? My Honest Experience with The Secret

Published: June 26, 2025

I don’t know if you’ve ever read The Secret, but back when it was trending, I fell in deep. The idea that your thoughts could shape your reality? I was all in. At first, it felt like it worked until it didn’t.

The Car That Changed Everything
I was living in Chicago and constantly wishing I had a car. So, I started randomly saying; “Universe, I really want a car!” Every time I stepped onto the Red Line (a major train line in the city), I’d say to myself, “Isn’t it great I’m getting into my car?” I even cut out a photo of a car and looked at it every morning while saying, “Oh, I’m so happy that I have a car.”

Then something wild happened. A family member called me out of the blue and offered me their brand-new Honda Fit. They were going through a divorce and traveling for work, so they didn’t need the car. They offered to keep paying the car note and insurance if I handled the maintenance and paid for parking.

This blew me away. I had been walking around asking the universe for a car and suddenly, there it was.

After that happened, I was hooked. I thought, “This is it. This is how I’m going to live my life.”

Manifesting the Lottery (or So I Thought)
I decided I was going to solve all my problems by trying to manifest a lot of money! Specifically, a major lottery jackpot. Throughout the day I started saying; “Money comes to me easily and freely,” and “Every time I turn around, money flows my way.”

And of course, I started playing the lottery. What began as $12 a month turned into $12 a week, then $150 a month! I truly believed the money was coming. But it didn’t.

The Reality Check
After a few months in this full-on delusion, I took a hard look at my spending. That’s when it hit me. I wasn’t manifesting a better life. I was pouring money into a dream…money I could have used to pay down credit card debt or start a real emergency fund.

I was wasting money on the hope that the universe would bail me out. I had to get real.

And when I did, that’s when things actually started to change.

What Actually Helped Me
Here’s the truth:

 I didn’t get better with money until I learned how to budget. I picked up extra jobs. I tracked every dollar. I wrote a new budget every single month and made some really unpleasant sacrifices to pay down debt and start saving.

Over time those small practical choices built the financial stability I had been trying to wish into existence.

So, Does Manifestation Work?
I still believe in the power of positive thinking. I do think manifestation can help you stay hopeful when life is hard. But it’s not magic. I think it mostly works when you pair it with action.

So, if you’re dreaming of a better life…dream big!

But also:

 Budget. Plan. Save. Learn. Take one small action today.

Because in the end, that’s the real secret.

If You need help on how to write a budget checkout my:

 “Budgeting Basics They Never Taught Us | How to Start Budgeting and Cut Expenses”.

Also, if you’re curious about The Secret. I’ve added a link where you can grab a copy on Amazon. I’d genuinely love to know if manifestation has worked for you too.

Bakebit