Quotes About Saving Money
Quotes about saving money are short, memorable sayings that express ideas about building financial reserves, spending wisely, and planning for the future. People use these quotes as personal reminders, teaching tools for children, or shareable wisdom on social media.
This article organizes quotes by theme—from classic historical sayings to modern financial advice—and explains how different quotes serve different purposes. Some emphasize aggressive saving, others balance saving with spending, and many offer metaphorical wisdom rather than specific financial instruction.
Why People Use Quotes About Saving Money
Quotes serve as conversation starters, particularly in family discussions about money. A short phrase is easier to remember than lengthy financial advice, which makes quotes useful for reinforcing concepts over time.
Parents often use quotes when teaching children about allowances or spending decisions. Adults reference them during personal financial planning moments or share them to encourage others. Quotes don’t replace budgeting or financial education—they complement those practices by providing memorable frameworks for thinking about money.
Different quotes resonate with different people based on personal context, goals, and values. What motivates one person may not affect another.
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Classic Quotes About Saving Money
Historical figures wrote extensively about frugality and financial prudence. Their quotes remain widely referenced, though their personal financial situations varied considerably.
Benjamin Franklin Quotes
Benjamin Franklin published financial advice in Poor Richard’s Almanack throughout the 1700s. His quotes emphasize small, consistent actions:
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.”
“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.”
“The way to wealth depends on just two words, industry and frugality.”
“Money makes money. And the money that money makes, makes money.”
Franklin’s quotes focus on accumulation through small economies and compound growth. His emphasis on “little expenses” reflects pre-industrial economy concerns but applies to modern discretionary spending.
Thomas Jefferson Quotes
Thomas Jefferson wrote about financial restraint despite experiencing significant personal debt throughout his life:
“Never spend your money before you have it.”
“We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.”
Jefferson’s quotes advocate for living within one’s means. His first quote addresses credit and advance spending, relevant to modern credit card use.
Other Historical Figures
“A man who both spends and saves money is the happiest man, because he has both enjoyments.” — Samuel Johnson
“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
“Thrift is not an affair of the pocket, but an affair of character.” — S.W. Straus
These quotes frame saving as a character trait rather than merely a financial practice. Munger’s quote specifically connects saving to broader life skills like organization and planning.
Modern Financial Expert Quotes About Saving
Contemporary personal finance educators offer quotes based on their specific methodologies and philosophies.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett built wealth through long-term investing and reportedly maintains relatively modest personal spending:
“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
“The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.”
“If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”
Buffett’s most-cited saving quote inverts the typical spending order—allocate savings first, then budget remaining funds. His “tree” metaphor emphasizes delayed gratification and generational benefit.
Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey’s methodology focuses on eliminating debt and building emergency funds:
“Saving must become a priority, not just a thought. Pay yourself first.”
“You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.”
“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.”
Ramsey’s quotes emphasize discipline and structured approaches. His “pay yourself first” concept aligns with Buffett’s save-first philosophy.
Other Financial Authors
“Financial freedom is available to those who learn about it and work for it.” — Robert Kiyosaki
“By definition, saving – for anything – requires us to not get things now so that we can get bigger ones later.” — Jean Chatzky
“A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.” — Suze Orman
“Balancing your money is the key to having enough.” — Elizabeth Warren
These quotes acknowledge that saving involves tradeoffs and learning. Chatzky’s quote plainly states the opportunity cost inherent in saving.
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Quotes About Saving Money for Teaching Children
Parents and educators use quotes to introduce financial concepts during allowance discussions, purchase requests, or goal-setting activities.
“Try to save something while your salary is small; it’s impossible to save after you begin to earn more.” — Jack Benny
This quote suggests starting saving habits early, before lifestyle inflation occurs. It can be used when helping children allocate their first earnings.
“Saving is a fine thing. Especially when your parents have done it for you.” — Winston Churchill
Churchill’s humorous quote acknowledges different perspectives on saving—those building savings versus those inheriting it.
“An allowance is the best hands-on tool for teaching children how to manage money.” — Janet Bodnar
“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.” — Albert Einstein (attributed)
Einstein’s quote is widely cited but possibly apocryphal. Regardless of attribution, it expresses how compound growth benefits savers and compound interest costs borrowers.
“I make myself rich by keeping my needs low.” — Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau’s philosophy of simple living translates to financial concepts. This quote can help children distinguish between needs and wants.
“Use this simple rule of thumb: Save a quarter for every dollar you get.” — Beth Kobliner
Kobliner provides specific guidance—25% savings rate—which may or may not suit every child’s circumstances but offers a concrete starting point.
Cultural Proverbs About Saving Money
Proverbs from various cultures offer metaphorical or indirect wisdom about money. These sayings reflect different cultural values and are not financial advice.
English Proverbs
“The art is not in making money, but in keeping it.”
“Cut your coat according to your cloth.”
The second proverb means adjusting spending to match available resources—living within one’s means expressed through tailoring metaphor.
Chinese Proverbs
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
This proverb applies to saving—starting earlier would have been ideal, but starting now is the next-best option.
Other Cultural Sayings
“Save money and money will save you.” — Jamaican proverb
“He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself.” — Swedish proverb
“Frugality is the mother of all virtues.” — Latin proverb
“He who does not economize will have to agonize.” — Confucius
These proverbs personify money, frame unnecessary purchases as self-theft, and link financial prudence to broader virtue. They’re metaphorical rather than instructional.
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Quotes About the Relationship Between Saving and Spending
Saving exists in balance with spending. Different quotes emphasize different priorities, and some appear contradictory. Individuals must determine their own balance based on goals and circumstances.
Quotes Emphasizing “Save First”
“Look everywhere you can to cut a little bit from your expenses. It will all add up to a meaningful sum.” — Suze Orman
“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
“Keep your eyes on the price when spending; don’t regret later to find that you have nothing for tomorrow.” — Auliq Ice
These quotes prioritize future security over present consumption.
Quotes About Balance
“Live below your means, but within your needs.” — Suze Orman
“Money looks better in the bank than on your feet.” — Sophia Amoruso
“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” — John C. Maxwell
Maxwell’s widely-cited quote frames budgeting as intentional direction rather than passive tracking. Orman’s “below means, within needs” distinguishes between necessities and excess.
Quotes Acknowledging the Value of Spending
“Saving money isn’t worth much when you aren’t spending it.”
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
These perspectives recognize that saving without purpose or perpetually delayed gratification may not align with life satisfaction. Different life stages and goals require different saving-spending balances.
Quotes About Why People Save Money
People save for various reasons: emergencies, specific goals, financial independence, legacy, or peace of mind. These quotes reflect different motivations.
Emergency Preparedness and Security
“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.” — Norman Vincent Peale
“Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self.” — Nathan W. Morris
“It is never too early to encourage long-term savings.” — Ron Lewis
Morris’s quote frames borrowing as a future cost, emphasizing why emergency savings reduces later borrowing needs.
Financial Independence
“There is a gigantic difference between earning a great deal of money and being rich.” — Marlene Dietrich
“If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.” — Edmund Burke
“Financial fitness is not a pipe dream or a state of mind. It’s a reality if you are willing to pursue it and embrace it.” — Will Robinson
These quotes distinguish between income and accumulated wealth, and between money controlling versus being controlled.
Long-Term Thinking
“Small amounts saved daily add up to huge investments in the end.” — Margo Vader
“Regularly saving money is a skill and a system. Not doing enough can lead to a massive loss of opportunity.” — David Angway
“A simple fact that is hard to learn is that the time to save money is when you have some.” — Joe Moore
Moore’s quote addresses the common pattern of intending to save “later” when circumstances improve, which often never materializes.
How to Use Saving Money Quotes
Quotes serve different purposes depending on context. The following describes common applications based on how people report using them.
For Personal Motivation
People write quotes in visible locations—bathroom mirrors, refrigerators, computer monitors—as daily reminders. Some set quotes as phone wallpapers or calendar entries.
During spending decisions, referencing a relevant quote can provide pause for consideration. For example, recalling “He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself” before an impulse purchase.
Individual results vary. Some people find quotes motivating; others prefer numerical goals or visual progress tracking.
For Teaching Family Members
When teaching children or teens, select quotes with age-appropriate language. Use quotes as conversation starters rather than lectures.
Pair quotes with concrete examples from daily life. After discussing “A penny saved is a penny earned,” show how saving lunch money accumulates over a week.
Revisit quotes periodically to reinforce concepts. A quote forgotten after one mention has limited impact compared to repeated exposure over time.
For Sharing or Professional Use
Quotes appear in social media posts about personal finance, presentations about budgeting, or team communications about expense management.
Consider audience and context when selecting quotes. A quote emphasizing aggressive frugality may not suit a presentation about balanced financial planning.
What to Consider When Choosing a Saving Money Quote
Not all quotes suit all situations. Consider the following when selecting quotes:
Relevance to Situation: Emergency fund building requires different emphasis than long-term wealth accumulation. Teaching children requires different language than motivating adults. Quotes about eliminating debt don’t apply equally to all debt types.
Specificity versus Generality: Some quotes offer specific advice (“save 15% of income”), while others provide general principles (“spend less than you earn”). Specific advice may not fit your circumstances; general principles offer flexibility but less concrete guidance.
Source Credibility: Many quotes circulate without verified attribution. Historical figures are frequently misquoted or have words paraphrased over time. Modern sources are easier to verify through published works or interviews. Verify attribution if using quotes in formal contexts.
Personal Resonance: Quotes aligning with your values are more memorable. If you value balance, quotes emphasizing extreme frugality may not resonate. If you’re motivated by legacy, quotes about generational wealth may be more effective than quotes about personal security.
No single quote universally applies to all financial situations. Multiple quotes can serve different purposes across various life stages and goals.
Conclusion
Quotes about saving money offer memorable frameworks for financial thinking but reflect various philosophies rather than universal rules. Their usefulness depends on selection, application, and alignment with personal goals and values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are famous quotes about saving money accurate?
Many historical quotes are paraphrased or misattributed over time. The core concepts often remain sound even when exact wording varies. Verify attribution through original sources if using quotes in formal contexts.
Which saving money quote is most effective?
Effectiveness varies by individual and context. No research definitively ranks quote effectiveness for behavior change. Choose quotes that resonate personally or fit specific teaching moments.
Can quotes actually help someone save money?
Quotes serve as reminders and conversation tools but don’t replace budgeting or financial planning. They may reinforce existing intentions but are unlikely to create motivation alone without accompanying action.
How do I teach my child about saving with quotes?
Select age-appropriate language and use quotes as discussion prompts, not instructions. Follow up with concrete examples and hands-on activities like savings jars or goal tracking.
Why do different quotes give conflicting advice about saving?
Different financial philosophies emphasize different priorities. Context determines which approach suits best—aggressive saving for early retirement differs from balanced approaches for moderate goals. Individual circumstances vary.