Sayings with the word money

There are many proverbs and sayings in English that involve money. Here are some of the most popular.

1. A fool and his money are soon parted

Means that people who spend their money on foolish things will lose their money and become poor. This is something that often happens to people who suddenly get a lot of money, especially if that money comes in one lump sum or over the period of a few years.

This happens a lot with lottery winners and athletes. They get a lot of money at one time, spend it on silly, useless things and before they know it, the money is gone.

  • He won $50 million dollars and somehow lost it all in just a few short years. He spent it on silly things and loaned money to friends and family. A fool and his money are soon parted.

2. A good name is better than riches

Means that a good reputation is worth more than any amount of money.

  • Always do what you say you are going to do. A good name is better than riches.

3. A good payer is a master of another’s purse

Means that someone who pays their bills on time can always borrow money. In other words if you have good credit, people will lend you money.

  • My parents taught me that it’s always important to pay your bills in full and on time. A good name is better than riches.

4. A good paymaster never wants workmen

Means that if an employer pays on time and pays fairly, they will always have people to work for them. In other words, pay well, pay on time, and you’ll have good workers.

  • People really enjoy working for this company because they pay fairly and on time. A good paymaster never wants workmen.

5. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

Is the opposite of the proverb above. It means that if you don’t pay well, you won’t get good workers. If you do happen to get a good worker, they’ll probably leave quickly.

  • The company started paying later and later, and making it more difficult for their employees to get their money. Soon all the good employees left. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

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6. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise

Refers to waking up early in the morning and going to bed early allows for people to have a productive day. Going to bed early will assure that one has a good night’s sleep, and waking up early allows for one to have an entire day to get things accomplished.

  • Steve says that going to bed early and getting a good night’s sleep is part of his success for being super productive during the day. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

7. Money doesn’t grow on trees

Is one of the most common sayings involving money that is said in America. It reminds people to remember the value of money. It takes hard work to get money, it doesn’t come easily. Therefore,  you should keep that in mind when you spend it.

  • Stop asking for things you don’t need and don’t really want. Money doesn’t grow on trees.
  • Unfortunately the car costs too much, money doesn’t grow on trees you know.

8. Money is the root of all evil 

Refers to money being the cause or motivation for everything bad. It simply means that all wickedness and evil comes from money.

The original quote is the love of money is the root of all evil. It has been shortened. Money isn’t the problem, it’s how much people love it, and what they will do to get it, that is the problem.

  • He betrayed his friends in their time of need, just so he could make a few dollars.

9. Money isn’t everything

Means that money is not the only thing of value, and it’s not the only thing that should be focused on.There are far more important things in the world, such as love and family.

This is usually said to encourage someone to either not be disappointed because they feel they are lacking money. Or it may be said to someone who is focusing too much on money, and they need to be reminded that there are more important things.

  • I know you’re very focused on your career, but don’t work so hard that you lose sight of what’s really important. Remember, money isn’t everything.
  • The millionaire John Smith died yesterday from a severe sickness that has no cure, going to show that money isn’t everything.

10. Money Talks!

This proverb means that money can be of great power and influence compared to promises or words alone.

  • If you want them to let you into the club, give them some money, money talks.

11. Money can’t buy happiness

While money can buy most things, it cannot purchase the constant feeling of joy.

  • I heard that millionaire lost everything in his divorce; it’s proof that money can’t buy happiness.

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12. Cash is king

In many places around the world, credit cards and other kinds of payments and investments are not believed to be as reliable as cash, the proverb, ‘Cash is King’ tells us that most people like cash.

  • I’m sorry we don’t accept credit cards, cash is king here.

13. Time is money

It takes time working to make money.

  • I’m sorry, but I have got to go now, I am late for a job and time is money!

14. Money makes the world go round

Money is an important part of everyone’s daily life around the world. Without money, many things we do or need would not be available to us.

The proverb, ‘money makes the world go round’ is used as a statement by itself mostly to show how important money is.

15. It takes money to make money

This proverb is used when speaking about investments and ways to make more money. Usually, to make money, you have to have some already.

  • You will need to invest one million dollars into the project before you see any profit. Why so much? Because it takes money to make money.

16. You can’t take it with you.

This proverb is talking about death and the fact that we can’t bring our money with us when we die.

  • Why do you want to make more money? You have made plenty of money during your life, and besides, you can’t take it with you.

17.  Money is a good servant/slave, but a bad master.

Money is beneficial to buy what we need and pay for things. But, using all of our time trying to earn more money and missing out on things that are more important, such as family, means that money is controlling us like a master controls his servant or slave.

  • Poor Jenny, her husband is never home, he is always working. They have a nice house and car, but he is never around to enjoy them. It’s true; money is a good servant but a bad master.

We hope these proverbs help you the next time you are speaking about money.

Do you know of any other proverbs about money? Let us know in the comments below. Why not check out some other great proverbs and idioms on our website too!

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Looking for a money mindset? These money quotes are full of different perspectives on riches, wealth, and the virtues and pitfalls of each.

Money is a big part of life no matter where you live and what you do. Obviously we need it to buy things and live our daily lives. But what else does money mean to us?

People have placed significance on money for thousands of years due to its importance to people, countries, and cultures. From the Bible to current music, there are conflicting sayings about money everywhere.

So here are the best money quotes to give you a better understanding of cash and how to use it for our highest good.

Top 10 Money Quotes

The money you have gives you freedom; the money you pursue enslaves you.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.

P.T. Barnum

HL Hunt quote "Money is just a way of keeping score"
“Money is just a way of keeping score.” – H.L. Hunt

It’s easy to say you don’t care about money when you have plenty of it.

Ransom Riggs

Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.

Paul Newman

Lack of money is the root of all evil.

George Bernard Shaw

A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.

Jonathan Swift

Don Marquis quote "There is nothing so habit-forming as money"
“There is nothing so habit-forming as money.” – Don Marquis

I’d rather lose my own money than someone else’s.

Dean Kamen

Money makes the world go round; however, happiness greases the axle. Without this lubricant, life will seize.

Paul Van Der Merwe

Short Money Quotes

Money is like muck—not good unless it be spread.

Francis Bacon

Money: power at its most liquid.

Mason Cooley

Money often costs too much.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Adam Smith quote "All money is a matter of belief"
“All money is a matter of belief.” – Adam Smith

Money equals freedom.

Kevin O’Leary

Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue.

Ayn Rand

Money can’t buy life.

Bob Marley

Money is a kind of poetry.

Wallace Stevens

The American Dream is really money.

Jill Robinson

Time is money.

Bennjamin Franklin

Marsha Sinetar quote "Do what you love and the money will follow"
“Do what you love and the money will follow.” – Marsha Sinetar

Money isn’t everything… but it ranks right up there with oxygen.

Rita Davenport

Money never sleeps, pal.

Michael Douglas, as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street

The more you learn, the more you earn.

Warren Buffett

Quotes about Money

Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can’t buy.

Haruki Murakami

To acquire money requires valor, to keep money requires prudence, and to spend money well is an art.

Berthold Auerbach

Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five.

W. Somerset Maugham

When a fellow says it ain’t the money but the principle of the thing, it’s the money.

Artemus Ward

He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses faith, loses all.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Money does not buy you happiness, but lack of money certainly buys you misery.

Daniel Kahneman

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

Jim Rohn

It’s all about the money.

Joe Jackson

It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy.

George Lorimer

"A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart"
“A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” – Jonathan Swift

Money is like love; it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it, and enlivens the other who turns it on his fellow man.

Khalil Gibran

If money was my only motivation, I would organize myself differently.

Placido Domingo

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Money is not real. It is a conscious agreement on measuring value.

John Ralston Saul

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.

Benjamin Franklin

It is a kind of spiritual snobbery that makes people think they can be happy without money.

Albert Camus

Anytime an athlete tells you it’s not about the money, that means it’s about one thing – the money.

Jim Rome

People who actually have money don’t want to talk about it. They want to talk about everything else.

Curtis Jackson (50-Cent)

When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same religion.

Voltaire

I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.

Shaquille O’Neal

When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.

Oscar Wilde

Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.

Will Smith

"A man is usually more careful of his money than of his principles"
“A man is usually more careful of his money than of his principles.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

A man with money is no match against a man on a mission.

Doyle Brunson

Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.

James W. Frick

The fools in life want things fast and easy — money, success, attention.

Robert Greene

Where large sums of money are concerned, it is advisable to trust nobody.

Agatha Christie

Remember that the only purpose of money is to get you what you want, so think hard about what you value and put it above money.

Ray Dalio

Within certain limits, it is actually true that the less money you have, the less you worry.

Geroge Orwell

Make Money Quotes

Making money is a common sense. It’s not rocket science. But unfortunately, when it comes to money, common sense is uncommon.

Robert Kioysaki

I made my money the old-fashioned way. I was very nice to a wealthy relative right before he died.

Malcolm Forbes

Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of W’s you control in your life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.

Tim Ferriss

To get rich, you have to be making money while you’re asleep.

David Bailey

Spending money is much more difficult than making money.

Jack Ma

Money grows on the tree of persistence.

Japanese Proverb

Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.

Maya Angelou

Naval Ravikant advice "Earn with your mind, not your time"
“Earn with your mind, not your time.” – Naval Ravikant

I don’t care half so much about making money as I do about making my point, and coming out ahead.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Success is not the result of making money; earning money is the result of success – and success is in direct proportion to our service.

Earl Nightingale

It’s simple arithmetic: Your income can grow only to the extent you do.

T. Harv Eker

It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.

Robert Kioysaki

Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.

John Wooden

Pennies do not come from heaven. They have to be earned here on earth.

Margaret Thatcher

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.

Everett Dirksen

I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.

Pablo Picasso

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Benjamin Franklin

Men make counterfeit money; in many more cases, money makes counterfeit men.

Sydney J. Harris

Money Management Quotes

Many folks think they aren’t good at earning money, when what they don’t know is how to use it.

Frank A. Clark

I don’t pay good wages because I have a lot of money; I have a lot of money because I pay good wages.

Robert Bosch

The habit of saving is itself an education; it fosters every virtue, teaches self-denial, cultivates the sense of order, trains to forethought, and so broadens the mind.

T.T. Munger

Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Jefferson quote "Never spend your money before you have earned it"
“Never spend your money before you have earned it.” – Thomas Jefferson

Try to save something while your salary is small; it’s impossible to save after you begin to earn more.

Jack Benny

Stop buying things you don’t need, to impress people you don’t even like.

Suze Orman

Money moves from those who do not manage it to those who do.

Dave Ramsey

You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.

Dave Ramsey

If you cannot control your emotions, you cannot control your money.

Warren Buffett

Too many people spend money they earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.

Will Rogers

The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator.

Ben Graham

Put not your trust in money, but put your money in trust.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else.

Andrew Carnegie

Sayings about Money

Money may not buy happiness, but I’d rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus.

Françoise Sagan

Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.

Ayn Rand

Money is to my social existence what health is to my body.

Mason Cooley

It doesn’t matter about money; having it, not having it. Or having clothes, or not having them. You’re still left alone with yourself in the end.

Billy Idol

Thomas Tusser quote "A fool and his money are soon parted"
“A fool and his money are soon parted.” – Thomas Tusser

A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.

Al Bernstein

What’s worth doing is worth doing for money.

Michael Douglas, as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street

A fool and his money never should have gotten together in the first place.

Michael Douglas, as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street 2

Money without brains is always dangerous.

Napoleon Hill

If you want to know what a man is really like, take notice of how he acts when he loses money.

Simone Weil

You can be young without money but you can’t be old without it.

Tennessee Williams

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.

Henry Ford

99% of all problems can be solved by money — and for the other 1% there’s alcohol.

Quentin R. Bufogle

Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won’t buy the wag of his tail.

Josh Billings

All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy.

Spike Milligan

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

1 Timothy 6:10, ESV

Friendship is like money, easier made than kept.

Samuel Butler

It’s immoral to let a sucker keep his money

Canada Bill Jones

Anyone who says money is the root of all evil doesn’t f—ing have any.

Ben Affleck, Boiler Room

So you think that money is the root of all evil. Have you ever asked what is the root of all money?

Ayn Rand

Cicero saying "Frugality includes all the other virtues"
“Frugality includes all the other virtues.” – Cicero

Money is good for nothing unless you know the value of it by experience.

P.T. Barnum

When I had money everyone called me brother.

Polish Saying

What counts is what you do with your money, not where it came from.

Merton Miller

Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.

David Lee Roth

The greatest power is not money power, but political power.

Walter Annenberg

Money’s a horrid thing to follow, but a charming thing to meet.

Henry James

Rich Quotes

Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much.

Erich Fromm

There are people who have money and people who are rich.

Coco Chanel

That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.

Henry David Thoreau

I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy.

Warren Buffett

Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.

Jim Rohn

Like Warren, I had a considerable passion to get rich, not because I wanted Ferraris – I wanted the independence. I desperately wanted it.

Charlie Munger

If you want to get rich, remember that the way to do it is via equity, not salary.

Sam Altman

Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant.

Epictetus

BC Forbes line "Real riches are the riches possessed inside"
“Real riches are the riches possessed inside.” – B.C. Forbes

It is usually people in the money business, finance, and international trade that are really rich.

Robin Leach

The rich invest their money and spend what is left; the poor spend their money and invest what is left.

Jim Rohn

I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.

Jim Carrey

In the Middle Ages, the rich spent their money carelessly on extravagant luxuries, whereas peasants lived frugally minding every penny. Today, the tables have turned. The rich take great care managing their assets and investments while the less well go into debt buying cars and televisions they don’t really need.

Yuval Noah Harari

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.

Seneca

Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.

Zig Ziglar

A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money.

W.C. Fields

Wealth Quotes

Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.

Henry David Thoreau

If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.

Benjamin Franklin

Looking for more advice from the man on the $100 bill? Check out our 8 Life Lessons from Benjamin Franklin and see what else you can learn from him today.

If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.

Edmund Burke

They deem me mad because I will not sell my days for gold; and I deem them mad because they think my days have a price.

Khalil Gibran

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.

Epictetus

William Feather quote "Wealth flows from energy and ideas"
“Wealth flows from energy and ideas.” – William Feather

Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.

Arthur Schopenhauer

The real measure of your wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.

Benjamin Jowett

All riches have their origin in mind. Wealth is in ideas – not money.

Robert Collier

Land is wealth. Money is a medium of exchange.

D.K. Seale

These wealthy guys – the more they’ve got, the less they’re worth.

Robert Wuhl, as Alexander Knox in Batman

Wealth and want equally harden the human heart.

Theodore Parker

So many people of wealth understand much more about making and saving money than about using and enjoying it. They fail to live because they are always preparing to live.

Alan Watts

Wealth is not about having a lot of money; it’s about having a lot of options.

Chris Rock

Real wealth is not about money. Real wealth is: not having to go to meetings, not having to spend time with jerks, not being locked into status games, not feeling like you have to say “yes”, not worrying about others claiming your time and energy. Real wealth is about freedom.

James Clear

No wealth can ever make a bad man at peace with himself.

Plato

A sign of wealth: No longer needing an alarm clock to wake up.

Greg Isenberg

There are a great many people accumulating what they think is vast wealth, but it’s only money.

Alan Watts

"Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it"
“Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.” – Benjamin Franklin

Wealth does not make people happy, but positive increases in wealth may.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more.

Charles Caleb Colton

Financial Quotes

Money isn’t always currency or even paper. These financial quotes from robber barons, captains of industry, and financiers explore the role of assets and risk in finance.

From stocks and bonds to banks and commerce, these sayings explore how money goes to work… or not.

The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.

Warren Buffett

Capital as such is not evil; it is its wrong use that is evil. Capital in some form or other will always be needed.

Mahatma Gandhi

Buy when everyone else is selling and hold until everyone else is buying. That’s not just a catchy slogan. It’s the very essence of successful investing.

J. Paul Getty

Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas.

Paul Samuelson

The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator.

Ben Graham

If you have trouble imagining a 20% loss in the stock market, you shouldn’t be in stocks.

John Bogle

How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case.

Robert G. Allen

If these line about millionaires and money has you curious about how to make more of your own, also read the 10 Secrets of a Millionaire Mindset and start thinking like a millionaire today.

The importance of money flows from it being a link between the present and the future.

John Maynard Keynes

A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.

Robert Frost

Financial peace isn’t the acquisition of stuff. It’s learning to live on less than you make, so you can give money back and have money to invest. You can’t win until you do this.

Dave Ramsey

William Petty quote "Money is the best rule of commerce"
“Money is the best rule of commerce.” – William Petty

It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages.

Henry Ford

If all the economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion.

George Bernard Shaw

The stock market is filled with individuals who know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

Philip Fisher

Greed is not a financial issue. It’s a heart issue.

Andy Stanley

A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.

Bob Hope

Capital isn’t this pile of money sitting somewhere; it’s an accounting construct.

Bethany McLean

You’re only the boss if you put up your own money.

Damon Dash

Cash Quotes

If cash comes with fame, come fame; if cash comes without fame, come cash.

Jack London

It is only the poor who pay cash, and that not from virtue, but because they are refused credit.

Anatole France

Ah, take the cash in hand and waive the rest.

Edward Fitzgerald

Divorce is the one human tragedy that reduces everything to cash.

Rita Mae Brown

There’s lots of things that can be solved with cash.

Danny Boyle

Ricardo Salinas Pliego line "In times of crisis, cash is king"
“In times of crisis, cash is king.” – Ricardo Salinas Pliego

Liquidity is a good proxy for relative net worth. You can’t lie about cash, stocks, and bond values.

Mark Cuban

Poverty is not a lack of character. Poverty is a lack of cash.

Rutget Pregman

There’s nothing that will change someone’s moral outlook quicker than cash in large sums.

Larry Flynt

What investors want is growth, margin, and cash.

John L. Flannery

I think cash will be around for a long time.

Ana Patricia Botin

The Church has always been willing to swap off treasures in heaven for cash down.

Robert Green Ingersoll

If I could only have cash, I know that I would spend very little.

Amanda Eliasch

I’m a bit like the Queen in that I don’t carry much cash.

Richard Branson

There is nothing wrong with a woman encouraging a man’s advances, as long as they are in cash.

Zsa Zsa Gabor

The world needs another vehicle to get people to pay in cash.

Suze Orman

Money is not an aphrodisiac: the desire it may kindle in the female eye is more for the cash than the carrier.

Marya Mannes

I got a wife who likes expensive things, so she takes all the cash.

James Brown

Gregory Nunn advice "Never underestimate the value of cold cash"
“Never underestimate the value of cold cash.” – Gregory Nunn

We can’t control whether we are rewarded for our endeavours, with cash or recognition. It is not up to us how much cash or time we get on Earth, but it is down to us how we spend it.

Julian Baggini

If I had to study and work hard, it would have to have the reward of a lot of cash.

Abbey Clancy

Cash Flow Quotes

The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.

James Madison

It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.

Oscar Wilde

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.

Henry Ford

The three most dreaded words in the English language are ‘negative cash flow’.

David Tang

The person who doesn’t know where his next dollar is coming from usually doesn’t know where his last dollar went.

Unknown

I’m a cash flow guy. If it doesn’t make me money today, forget about it.

Robert Kiyosaki

I’ve certainly learnt there’s nothing more important than cash – cash flow issues are one of the biggest causes of company failures.

Peter Jones

The true currency of life is time, not money, and we’ve all got a limited stock of that.

Robert Harris

Everyday is a bank account, and time is our currency. No one is rich, no one is poor, we’ve got 24 hours each.

Christopher Rice

Debt Quotes

Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self.

Nathan W. Morris

Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.

Norman Vincent Peale

John Dewey saying "No man's credit is as good as his money"
No man’s credit is as good as his money.– John Dewey

Credit buying is much like being drunk. The buzz happens immediately and gives you a lift… The hangover comes the day after.

Joyce Brothers

A simple fact that is hard to learn is that the time to save money is when you have some.

Joe Moore

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Proverbs 22:7, ESV

Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

The creditor hath a better memory than the debtor.

James Howell

We hope these money quotes give you a new perspective on what wealth and riches are and aren’t. Is it the root of all evil, or a tool for freedom? Is it merely paper and coins, or has modern society given it so much power that it really is more than those?

The decision is yours! Let us know whether these quotes inspired you to earn more, spend more, or save more in the comments below. No matter how you view money, we wish you the best.

Нестандартные приемы и формы работы  на уроке поддерживают интерес к изучению иностранного языка и способствуют лучшему запоминанию и усвоению языкового материала. Одним из таких приемов — это использование пословиц, поговорок и цитат знаменитых людей. Поэтому продолжаем пополнять нашу копилку английских пословиц, поговорок и высказываний знаменитых людей. На этот раз предлагаю вашему вниманию подборку на тему «Деньги», которая изучается в 8 классе (Unit 4).

English Proverb
Russian Equivalent
Never spend your money before you have it. Никогда не трать деньги, пока их не заимел.
A heavy purse makes a light heart.  От туго набитого кошелька на сердце легко. Ср. Есть чем звякнуть, так можно и крякнуть.
A great fortune is a great slavery.  Большое состояние — большое рабство. Ср. Больше денег — больше хлопот. Лишние деньги — лишние заботы. Богатому не спится, он вора боится.
A penny saved is a penny gained. Пенни сбереженное—всё равно что пенни заработанное. Ср. Сбережешь, что найдешь.
Money begets money.  Ср. Деньга деньгу наживает. Деньга на деньгу набегает. Деньги к деньгам идут.
Money has no smell.  Деньги не пахнут.
Money is a good servant but a bad master. Деньги — хороший слуга, но плохой хозяин. Ср. Умный человек — хозяин деньгам, а скупой — слуга.
Better be born lucky than rich.  Лучше родиться удачливым, нежели богатым. Ср. Не родись красивой, а родись счастливой.
Money often unmakes the men who make it.  Деньги часто губят тех, кто их наживает.
Better go to bed supperless than rise in debt. Лучше ложиться не поужинав, чем вставать в долгу. Ср. Ешь хоть репу вместо ржи, а чужого не держи.
Better give a shilling than lend a half-crown.   Лучше подарить шиллинг, чем дать взаймы пол-кроны. (Шиллинг в 2,5 раза меньше пол-кроны)
Money is the root of all evil. В деньгах корень всех зол.
Не who likes borrowing dislikes paying.  Тот, кто любит брать взаймы, не любит отдавать. Ср. При одалживании — друг, при отдаче — враг. Отдашь деньги руками, а ходишь за ними ногами.
Wealth like want ruins many.  Богатство, как и нужда, многих губит.
То roll in money.  Кататься в деньгах. Ср. Купаться в деньгах. Денег куры не клюют.
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” 
Epictetus
«Богатство состоит не в том, чтобы иметь большое состояние, а в том, чтобы иметь мало желаний». Эпиктет
«Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.» Benjamin Franklin «Деньги никогда не делали и не сделают человека счастливым. В них нет ничего, что порождало бы счастье. Чем больше человек имеет, тем больше он хочет. Вместо того, чтобы заполнять пустоту, они ее создают». Бенджамин Франклин
«If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.» Dorothy Parker «Если хочешь знать, что Бог думает о деньгах, просто посмотри на людей, которым он их дал». Дорэти Паркер
«Мoney makes the world go round.»
John Kander, Fred Ebb
«Деньги заставляют мир крутится». Джон Кэндер, Фрэд Эбб

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Olga

A still from ‘The Mask’ movie

Chuck Russell, 1994, Dark Horse Entertainment, New Line Cinema

These everyday pearls of financial wisdom about the correct attitude to money and wealth are still relevant today.

International aphorisms like “Time is money” or “Money has no smell” (attributed to the Roman emperor Vespasian) are common in Russia, too. However, folklore contains a whole body of original proverbs and sayings about the green stuff, the rich and the poor, the stingy and the greedy. Here are just a few of them.

1. A kopeck saves a ruble

A kopeck is one hundredth of a ruble. In other words, it is a miniscule amount, and even in old times could not buy a lot. Nevertheless, folk wisdom advises not to neglect them. If you save the kopecks, one day you’ll have a ruble, or even two if you’re lucky. A related proverb says: “A kopeck in hand is worth more than a ruble out of reach.”

A still from 'Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future' movie

A still from ‘Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future’ movie

Leonid Gaidai/Mosfilm, 1973

2. Don’t have a hundred rubles, have a hundred friends

Common folk understood well that money buys things. However, human qualities and connections were valued more than money itself. At the same time, another saying goes: “For money, even the devil will dance” – that is, money decides everything. Folk wisdom is contradictory on this point, like life itself.

3. Happiness does not lie in money

Pure and simple. Anyone who ditches friends in pursuit of money will not be happy. You can’t buy happiness for any amount of cash. That said, another Russian proverb offers a different slant: “With money – adorable, without money – deplorable.”

A still from 'The Wolf of Wall Street' movie

A still from ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ movie

Martin Scorsese, 2003, Paramount Pictures

4. Not to give a grosh

A grosh was worth two kopecks in old Russia, and often refers to any worthless coin in colloquial speech. There are many sayings with this word. “Not to give a grosh” means not to value something at all.

5. Not worth a broken grosh

This phrase was most commonly heard at the marketplace when haggling with the seller to try to knock down the price. These days it has a metaphorical meaning: worthless.

A still from 'Breaking Bad' series

A still from ‘Breaking Bad’ series

Sony Pictures Television, 2008 – 2013

6. Not worth a grosh, but looks like a ruble

This is said about a haughty individual who in reality is a nobody, but nonetheless behaves arrogantly. Such people are never liked. Incidentally, you can see what Russian rubles look like here.

7. Debt is red when paid

“Red” here means “good”, and the phrase itself generally means “fair’s fair” or “tit for tat”. In Russia, the concept of honor was very strict, and debts had to be repaid, no matter how big or small. So Russians, just like the Lannisters in Game of Thrones, always pay their debts.

A still from 'Masterminds' movie

A still from ‘Masterminds’ movie

Jared Hess, 2016, Michaels-Goldwyn, Relativity Media

8. An agreement is worth more than money

Another proverb about honor and honesty. If you have agreed on something, even verbally, it is your duty to see it through.

9. If there’s a brain, there’ll be a ruble

A philosophical question: Does a smart person need money? After all, other sayings assert: “The less you have, the better you sleep” and “More money, more trouble”. What do you think?

10. Friendship and money don’t mix

Most Russians are very sensitive when it comes to money. Lending to and borrowing from friends is avoided if possible. Because if it doesn’t get paid back, that will be hurtful and disrespectful. After all, a debt is red when paid!

A still from 'The Diamond Arm' movie

A still from ‘The Diamond Arm’ movie

Leonid Gaidai/Mosfilm, 1968

11. A miser pays twice

This homespun wisdom has been put to the test by many generations! It’s better to buy quality that lasts than rubbish that soon breaks… In a nutshell, spending money saves money. By the way, this saying is often used by Vladimir Putin.

12. Money isn’t mushrooms – you can find it even in winter

Such a saying could only come from Russia. Here, people pick mushrooms only during the short window of late summer–early fall. Whereas money can be “picked” all year round. A motivational appeal from across the centuries to pull your socks up and seize the day. 

If using any of Russia Beyond’s content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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Some say that money makes the world go ‘round—while others warn about focusing too much on just one kind of wealth. No matter where you’re from, you’ve likely been given some advice about money or finances in your life. This roundup of famous quotes about money includes a lot of wisdom from different regions and time periods. Which one is your favorite?

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Money Quotes from Around the World

Are you familiar with all of these sayings? Chances are that some of these names are familiar, but plenty more may be new to you. From humorous to serious and in between, there’s a quote here for everyone.

 Advice from the Ancients

1. “Frugality includes all other virtues.” – Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and writer who tried to uphold Republican principles in the Roman civil wars. He came from a wealthy, landowning family, but always believed in the inherent value of frugality. He thought that saving money and living on the smallest amount possible was the best way to prosper and to contribute to society.

2. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus.

Epictetus lived in Ancient Greece, where he was a Stoic philosopher. He believed that philosophy is not just a way of thinking, but an important piece of life experience. In his worldview, all external events are beyond individual control. That means we should all accept life’s obstacles calmly, but remain in control and self-disciplined about those things we can influence.

3. “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” – Seneca

Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, usually just called Seneca, was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and satirist of the Roman Imperial period. He was one of the most wealthy and powerful men in Rome, but he was mostly invested in the ideas of Stoicism. As this quote suggests, he believed that true wealth was learning to be content with little.

Artists and Entertainers

4. “I am not biased against the rich because they are rich, but the most lively people are those without money who would like to have some.” – Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn was a beloved Australian actor who was celebrated as the movie screen’s foremost swashbuckler. Flynn was the son of a prominent Australian marine biologist and zoologist.

5. “I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.” – Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso is a Spanish painter and sculptor and perhaps one of the best known and most influential artists of all time. He is credited with pioneering Cubism and Post-Impressionism and became world-famous during his lifetime, which is still rare for an artist.

Toward the end of his life, he became quite wealthy, leaving behind a multibillion-dollar empire upon his death. This quote speaks to his experience of how difficult it can be to manage such a legacy. His true wish was to remain living as simply as he had when he had little money, but also to enjoy the comforts and peace of mind that large fortunes bring.

6. “Money is good for nothing unless you know the value of it by experience.” – P. T. Barnum

Founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, P. T. Barnum was one of the wealthiest men in America in the mid-1800s. He was a remarkable entrepreneur and entertainer, and an icon of American ingenuity. He advocated using money to enjoy life, rather than hoarding it or penny-pinching just to accrue more wealth.

7. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.” – Will Rogers

Will Rogers was an American entertainer, radio personality, film actor, and writer. He was best known for his Broadway and film performances, his folksy persona, and his pithy humor.

Not only that, but Will Rogers was also an unofficial ambassador of goodwill in America. He was a big advocate for giving money to the needy.

Business and Political Leaders

8. “Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.” – Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a prolific thinker, inventor, and writer who also served terms as the first Postmaster General of the United States, Minister to France, Minister to Sweden, and President of Pennsylvania.

He has been referred to in history books as “the most accomplished American of his age.” His portrait is currently on the U.S. $100 dollar bill, and he had plenty of wisdom about money, savings, and personal finances.

9. “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 32nd President of the United States. He governed the nation during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and his policies to alleviate poverty, collectively known as the New Deal, remain influential today.

10. “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.” – Henry Ford

Henry Ford was an American automobile manufacturer who created the Model T Ford in 1908. His business did so well that he became a world-famous business leader, but he always asserted that money could never substitute for knowledge, experience, and ability.

11. “Money is like manure. You have to spread it around, or it smells.” – J. Paul Getty

Paul Getty was an American-born British industrialist who founded the Getty Oil company in 1942. He grew up learning about how to make wise investments from his father, and at one point he was known as the richest man in the world.

This quote, which is related to an older British saying, advocates for business people to spread their assets around in different investments to see their fortunes grow.

12. “For every minute that I spin, there is in me the consciousness that I am adding to the nation’s wealth.” – Mohandas Gandhi

The quote was taken from the book “Mahatma Gandhi : A Multifaceted Person.” Mohandas Gandhi, often called by his nickname “Mahatma,” a term of reverence or respect, was born in India in 1869. A fierce patriot, Gandhi campaigned for India’s freedom from the colonial United Kingdom.

He taught himself to spin cotton yarn from raw fibers on the charkha and insisted on doing so for at least half an hour every day. This was significant in that the cotton was grown in India, the charkha was Indian, and the finished yarn, cloth, and textiles were pure forms of an independent Indian economy.

13. “Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.” – Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s first Black president, as well as a tireless anti-apartheid activist. His election as the country’s leader resulted from the first democratically free election in the country. He knew that to live a full life, Black South Africans needed equality and the freedom to earn the same wages as white South Africans.

14. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” –Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was an American inventor who held more than 1,000 patents and created the world’s first industrial research laboratory. He was an inventive genius and a shrewd entrepreneur, and he knew the value of hard work. When he died in 1931, he left behind him a $12 million estate.

15. “Never spend your money before you have earned it.” – Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson is the American president who appears on the nickel and the $2 bill. The $2 bill is rarely seen these days, but is still printed by the U.S. Mint.

Modern Financial Experts

16. “Money moves from those who do not manage it to those who do.” – Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey is an American personal finance guru with his own radio show as well as a number of books on managing personal finances. He strongly advocates establishing an emergency fund, investing some income in retirement accounts every month, and buying real estate to build wealth.

This quote reflects his belief that people cannot accrue wealth unless they deliberately manage their money.

17. “As we spend money, we must have the courage to do a self-audit and admit what emotion is driving our spending.” – Deborah Smith Pegues

This quote was taken from the book “The One-Minute Money Mentor for Women.” Deborah Smith Pegues is an American financial writer whose books focus on the emotions and internal stress related to money. She believes people must confront their money issues from the inside out to gain control of their financial future. Her work is often aimed at women specifically, who have traditionally been left out of financial education.

18. “Trade money for time, not time for money. You’re going to run out of time first.” – Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant is an Indian-American entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder, chairman, and former CEO of AngelList, a job listing site for innovative tech companies, and he was born in India but grew up in the U.S.

He is known for making his fortune from smart investments in companies like Uber, Twitter, and Yammer. Despite the vast amounts of money he has amassed, he stands behind the belief that time is much more valuable than money. He lives in such a way that he can make enough money to afford time off to enjoy life—and suggests that others do the same.

19. “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.” – Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author of the popular personal finance book “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” His philosophy toward money, as suggested by this quote, is to work hard and be smart with your finances.

He encourages people to educate themselves on personal finances, so they can make informed choices about money.

20. “Stop buying things you don’t need, to impress people you don’t even like.” – Suze Orman

Suze Orman is a popular American author and financial advisor. She has a wide following of fans and readers who adore her approach to personal finances. This quote is a great example of her no-nonsense approach to finances. She advises people to focus on their own deepest needs, rather than worry about appearances.

Philosophers & Other Thinkers

21. “If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.” – Edmund Burke

The philosophical founder of modern conservatism, Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman and economist who served in Parliament between 1766 and 1794. He authored a popular book called “Reflections on the Revolution in France,” which dealt primarily with the concept of wealth. He strongly believed in having an attitude of prudence toward money, and urged everyone, as this quote reflects, to acquire savings.

22. “Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much.” – Eric Fromm

Erich Fromm was a German social psychologist and psychoanalyst who was known for developing the concept that freedom was a fundamental part of human nature. He was a very humanistic philosopher, and a democratic socialist who very much believed that material accumulations and wealth should be divided and shared more fairly among society.

23. “Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Many people refer to Norman Vincent Peale as “the father of positive thinking.” An American minister and writer born in 1898, he authored several books on his famous formula of faith and optimism and remains one of the most widely read inspirational writers of all time.

Proverbs from Many Cultures

24. “Get the money honestly if you can.” – American proverb

This proverb, from the early 19th century, derives from the classical world and the poetry of Horace. He said, “If possible honestly, if not, somehow, make money.” It is meant to impress the idea that the best way to earn money is through work and helping others.

25. “The sun is rising and setting [and] the moon is waxing and waning.” – Chinese proverb

The original quote in Chinese is “​​日有陰晴,月有盈虧.” It means that things are constantly changing, and no one will stay wealthy or poor forever. This proverb encourages people to work hard and stay diligent.

26. “One cannot both feast and become rich.” – Ashanti proverb

The Ashanti people are a major ethnic group in Ghana. The ancient Ashanti Kingdom occupied present-day Ghana and stretched past today’s borders. A fierce fighting nation, the Ashanti people were also avid farmers. Ashanti proverbs are beloved for their pithy wisdom. Check out this compilation from UCLA for more of them.

27. “Keep your pockets lined.” – Greek proverb

Many people in Greece believe in this proverb, which asserts that if you empty your purse, wallet, or bank account, it will bring you financial misfortune later in life. This superstition holds that you should always have a little money saved—which is why when giving children their first piggy bank, parents usually fill it up with a few coins first.

28. “With money, the dog dances.” – Mexican proverb

This humorous quote rhymes in its original Spanish: “con dinero baila el perro.” In other words, money talks. Mexicans use this saying about politicians who work for bribes—but also, broadly, regarding anyone or anything motivated by money.

29. “The rich would have to eat money if the poor did not provide food.” – Russian proverb

For much of its history, Russia was characterized by strict class divisions. The serfs worked the land to provide food and raw materials, while the landowning class managed them. Above the landowners was the royal family. In the early 20th century, discontent among oppressed workers sparked the Russian Revolution.

30. “Stretch your arm no further than your sleeve will reach.” – Turkish proverb

Turkish proverbs like this one imply that you shouldn’t spend more money than you have. Many cultures these days are dealing with huge problems of debt from personal and government loans, credit cards, and other sources, and this quote warns us not to get ahead of ourselves.

Traditional Turkish folklore also teaches that holding gold in your hand while you sleep helps you be financially successful in life—a nice lesson that teaches that if we concentrate on attracting money, it will come to us!

Writers

31. “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” – Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand was a Russian-born American writer with a number of successful novels centered around individualism and laissez-faire capitalism. She believed anyone could amass a fortune if they made smart investments and followed their instincts. Her beliefs are controversial, but remain popular in some circles.

32. “It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy.” – George Lorimer

George Lorimer was an American journalist and editor of The Saturday Evening Post. He was a beloved personality in the early 1900s and offered advice to middle-class America about money and many other topics.

This quote encourages listeners to not get carried away with their desire for riches, and to remember that some of the most irreplaceable things in life have nothing to do with work or earnings.

33. “For the sake of life on Earth, we must put a limit on wealth.” – George Monbiot

Monbiot, a British writer, is a citizen of a country that has largely moved on from its industrial past and is seeking less damaging economic stability. In his view, immense wealth is the result of the capitalization of the means of production, which generally means a relentless use of natural resources. Wealth, therefore, translates to negative environmental impact.

34. “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” – Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau was an American naturalist, essayist, and philosopher in the 1800s. His work advocated living a life based on simplicity, and he believed that value is not inherently monetary and can be found anywhere. This quote reflects his belief that money is not essential to a joyful life, but that it does allow one to experience life more fully.

35. “A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” – Jonathan Swift

An Anglo-Irish author, Jonathan Swift wrote essays, poetry, and a novel in the early 1700s. He believed that the key to managing a person’s life was to remain responsible and clear-headed about money, but never to let greed or selfish desires trump love and the spirit of the heart.

36. “When I was young, I thought money was the most important thing in life. Now that I am old, I know that it is.” – Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was an Irish wit, poet, and dramatist, as well as a spokesman for the late 19th-century Aesthetic movement that advocated art for art’s sake. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant playwrights of the Victorian era, and was known for his tongue-in-cheek style of writing and sarcastic wit. He worked his way up through the ranks of society in money-conscious England and formed a career based on his talent and personality.

37. “Money often costs too much” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American poet, essayist, and philosopher, and the leading exponent of New England Transcendentalism. His lectures and work influenced generations of Americans, from his good friend Henry David Thoreau to John Dewey, as well as Europeans like Friedrich Nietzsche.

Emerson felt that everyone should do something with their money—spending, earning, and saving to promote a healthy society.

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