money quotes

20 Saving Money Quotes For 2021

January 6, 2021 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Quotations, whether from famous people or accidentally uttered from the mouths of babes, provide a succinct description that captures our interest. As a result, it’s nice to collect quotations that we can refer back to again and again. Collected carefully, they remind us of the things that matter to us. If saving money is one of your goals for 2021, then you might want to choose a few of the saving money quotes below to copy out and place where you can see it regularly throughout your day. While it’s easy to find the most common quotes (“a penny saved is a penny earned”), we’ve tried to give you a range of different thoughts that can inspire you to look at saving money in new ways.

1. On Starting Saving Now, Intentionally

“DIG deep–get deliberate, inspired, and going.” – Brene Brown. Outline your exact intentions for saving money in 2021. Then make a step-by-step plan that can can keep you inspired. Then simply start!

2. On Limiting Instant Gratification

“Because money permits a constant stream of luxuries and indulgences, it can take away their savor, and by permitting instant gratification, money shortcuts the happiness of anticipation. Scrimping, saving, imagining, planning, hoping–these stages enlarge the happiness we feel.” – Gretchen Rubin. If you want to start saving money, it helps a lot to think about it as a pleasure or gift to yourself, rather than as a form of deprivation.

3. On Figuring Out Your Own Money Balance

“Fewer items does not make everyone happier; it’s about finding the balance of items that makes you feel the most comfortable — and the same thing applies to your wealth.” – Marie Kondo. You might want to find work that you love and also make a lot of money. While these things are not mutually exclusive, you have to find your own balance. What does saving money mean to you in comparison with other work and financial goals.

4. If You Had a Rough Financial Year in 2020

“Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed.” – Michelle Obama. Many people struggled to save money in 2020. It’s okay. Start 2021 with refreshed perspective and hunger to succeed.

5. If You Need to Refocus on Saving Money

“I’ve become convinced that our lives are shaped less by the mistakes we make than when we make them. There is less elasticity now. Less time to bounce back. And so I heed the urgent whisper and move with greater and greater deliberation.” – Dani Shapiro. If you’re starting 2021 feeling like things are all still the same as 2020, then you might be tempted to let the year slip away without financial focus. Don’t do it. Consider the need to save money as an urgent whisper that you must heed.

6. On Being Gentle With Yourself

“I think I could learn a little patience with myself if I took a view of myself that included concepts like dormancy (instead of laziness), seed planting (instead of just scattered), gestation (instead of doing-something-right-this-second).” – Julia Cameron. This is, again, about reframing things so that you can approach your money-saving goals with a positive mindset.

7. On Going Back to the Basics

“Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box.” – Twyla Tharp, who also said, “If you only do what you know and do it very, very well, chances are that you won’t fail. You’ll just stagnate, and your work will get less and less interesting, and that’s failure by erosion.” First, go back to the basics of budgeting, saving a certain percentage of your earnings, etc. Then when you’ve stabilized that part of your life, get creative about saving money.

8. On Doing What Works For You

“You do not have to be good./ You do not have to walk on your knees/ for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting./ You only have to let the soft animal of your body/ love what it loves.” – Mary Oliver. Saving money isn’t a chore. It’s an opportunity. But only if you figure out the ways to do it that really resonate with your own life and values. Don’t start with the hardest things; start with what you love. For example, if you value the environment, find ways to save energy at home, which will also save you money. And take the steps that are easiest first. They do make a difference.

9. On Having an Eye Towards the Future

“Accept that someday what pains you now will surely pain you less.” – Cheryl Strayed. This is good advice whether it’s for getting through a heartbreak or accepting some of the uncomfortable limitations of saving money. If you want to really tighten the purse strings, you might choose to let go of some of your favorite pastimes and other money-suckers. It will feel better tomorrow than it does today.

10. On Paying Yourself First and Treating Yourself After

“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” – Warren Buffett. Back to those basics: pay yourself first. Set a savings goal. If you have some leftover, it’s okay to treat yourself, because you have met your goal.

A bonus related quote with a similar sentiment:

“We are not to judge thrift solely by the test of saving or spending. If one spends what he should prudently save, that certainly is to be deplored. But if one saves what he should prudently spend, that is not necessarily to be commended. A wise balance between the two is the desired end.” – Owen D. Young

11. Practice Gratitude

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite,—only a sense of existence.” – Thoreau. The more you can focus on being thankful for the things that you have, the more likely you are to stick to your saving money goals. After all, you’re not going to spend on impulse buys if you’re satisfied with what you have.

12. More on Gratitude

Because it will truly make a difference in your approach to saving money.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey

13. On Accepting Your Present Reality

“To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is. – Thích Nhất Hạnh. It’s all too easy to let yourself get really overwhelmed with negative thoughts about the trials and tribulations of saving money. Alternatively, you can overestimate how great things will be “tomorrow.” Instead, start right where you are today. Do an honest assessment of your finances and see where you’re at with saving money right now.

14. More on Mindfulness

“Look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of This Moment.” – Rumi. Being in the present means practicing mindfulness. This can help greatly as we accept our present reality for what it is. There is something wonderful happening right now if you pay attention.

15. On Accepting The Ups and Downs

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn. 2020 showed us that there are going to be unexpected things in our lives. We can save and plan and plot out our financial futures. And we should. But things might change on us. And that’s okay. We can figure this out.

16. On Starting Over

“That’s life: starting over, one breath at a time.” – Sharon Salzberg. No matter what your savings and financial goals were in 2020, you’re not there anymore. Start today. Where are you in 2021?

17. On Being Generous

“When we have plenty of money or blankets, we give them away to other chiefs and people, and by and by they return them with interest, and our hearts feel good. Our way of giving is our bank.” – Chief Maquinna, Nootka. Saving money is an important personal goal. But don’t let it become so much your focus that you fail to be generous in the times when it is appropriate to do so.

18. More on Generosity

“That’s what I consider true generosity: You give your all and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” — Simone de Beauvoir

19. Getting Clear About Your Saving Goals

“The goal of an emergency fund is to bail you from going to jail while your savings account is about buying you more options. The role of investing is to give you more time freedom.” ― David Angway

20. Know Your Beliefs, So That You Can Live By Your Values

“Your beliefs become your thoughts / Your thoughts become your words / Your words become your actions / Your actions become your habits / Your habits become your values / Your values become your destiny.”
― Gandhi

What are your beliefs about saving money? Do the inner work to figure out your beliefs so that your thoughts, words, actions, habits, and values can align with them.

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10 Oprah Money Lessons Worth Following

February 19, 2018 By Alexa Mason 3 Comments

The successes that Oprah Winfrey has had in building her own business empire are well-known, and she’s given quite a few interviews and statements about her financial successes and failures. Many of us have setbacks, failures, successes, or financial dreams that we think are out of reach. Sometimes our finances can be a source of discouragement, so here are a few finance-related quotes from Oprah to inspire you:

“How do I define success? Let me tell you, money’s pretty nice. But having a lot of money does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning. You want your work to be meaningful because meaning is what brings the real richness to your life.”

While money can make your life infinitely better and easier, simply having a full bank account doesn’t automatically mean that you’re successful. It may not even mean that you’re happy or fulfilled. After all, the old adage “money can’t buy happiness” exists for a reason. Money can buy you comfort and security, but if you’re looking for financial or career success, it’s also important to find a career you enjoy doing. There’s nothing quite as nice as getting paid for doing something you love.

“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”

As this quote suggests, sometimes changing your outlook can mean changing your entire future. For instance, if you have a financial situation that is stressing you out, changing the way you approach it may be the answer to the problem. You may have to think of a different approach to marketing your new business or tackle your mounting debt with an optimistic attitude instead of a pessimistic attitude.

“Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”

Very few things in life come easily, and this quote is a reminder that most goals worth having are the ones you have to work hard to achieve. Financial goals are often the hardest goals to achieve, but it’s important to remember that you won’t reach them if you don’t put in some effort.

“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people’s lives.”

Oprah reminds us that while financial success can be great for our personal lives, it also allows us to give back to family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. This can take the form of offering a loan to a friend in need or offering discount products to customers if you own a business. Achieving personal financial success is a wonderful thing, but supporting others in that same endeavor can be just as wonderful.

“You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.”

Money isn’t always everything. It’s important, of course, but this quote serves to illustrate the idea that sometimes happiness can be more beneficial to your well-being than money. As stated above, money can be important for your personal security, but it’s also important to find something you love to do regardless of whether or not it provides you with millions of dollars.

“Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”

At some point in all our lives, failure is inevitable. But failure does not have to mean the end of the road. Having to close your business or foreclose on a home, for instance, is an awful experience to endure, but instead of dwelling on it, you should use that experience as a learning experience.

“I don’t think of myself as a poor deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good.”

It’s important to know that you are the only one responsible for your fate. You may have friends and family members helping you out, but at the end of the day, you are responsible for your well being and your future. Oprah came from a difficult background and worked hard to get where she currently is, and this is a lesson most of us can take into consideration. Many of us will have to work hard to achieve personal or financial success instead of relying on someone to hand it to us.

“I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.”

The term “luck” is often thrown out when people discuss financial success. However, as this quote insinuates, luck is often combined with preparation and opportunity. Or, in other words, some people’s luck is just knowing a good opportunity when they see it and be prepared to take advantage of it. Whether this is deciding to buy a home or deciding to finance a big purchase, it’s also best to be prepared and know what you want.

“Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Sometimes, we all need to appreciate the assets and items we do have instead of trying to lust after the items we don’t own. For instance, lusting after a luxury item is all well and good, but going into debt just to buy it because you believe it will make you happy isn’t a smart decision. Wanting to improve your financial situation is great, but sometimes it’s also important to know when to stop and settle for what you currently have.

“I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I’ve become. If I had, I’d have done it a lot earlier.”

This quote by Oprah is perhaps one of the best lessons we can all take into consideration. For instance, when trying to start or sell a business, it’s sometimes much better to be yourself than put on a fake persona. Or, on a different note, it’s better to be true to yourself when it comes to your financial goals.

Money Phrases That Hold Us Back from Wealth

June 4, 2014 By Guest Writer 1 Comment

By Steve Siebold

There the money phrases we’ve all heard before, but are they working for us or could they actually be holding us back from acquiring a substantial amount of wealth? I say to be very careful, as some of these seemingly harmless phrases about money can actually interfere with the wealth-building process. Here are a few of these common phrases that you may not have thought too much about, but how they can affect your finances.

It takes money to make money

This phrase is limiting at best and destructive at worst. The truth is you have to have great ideas that solve problems to make money. If you do, you will attract money like a magnet. Wealthy investors are always on the lookout for the next big investment they can sink their teeth into.

Money doesn’t grow on trees

Figuratively speaking, money does grow on trees; and the trees are ideas. This belief sets people up to believe money is scarce and difficult to earn, instead of seeing money as abundant and earning it is as easy as solving a problem through persistent, creative thought.

Another day another dollar

The masses trade time for money. This creates the belief that making money is a linear process directly connected to time. The average person believes the only way to make more money is to work more hours. Big money requires thinking about it in non-linear terms.

Money is the root of all evil

The real saying is actually “the love” of money is the root of all evil, but has been misquoted for centuries that most people believe money itself is the root of all evil. Decide to be proud of your ambition and ignore people who tell you that wanting to be rich is wrong.

A penny saved is a penny earned

This is a very dangerous belief as it put a major emphasis on saving. Saving in itself is not bad. The problem is far too many people end up focusing mainly on things like clipping coupons that they miss major opportunities. It’s important for people to get beyond the nickel and dime saving attitude so they can focus their mental energy where it belongs: on the big money.

Money can’t buy you happiness

The most common misconception about money is that more will make you happier. You don’t get rich to get happier; you get rich for the freedom in brings. It allows you to live life on your own terms, but it’s unlikely to make you any happier. If you’re unhappy without money, you’re not going to be happy with it.

A penny for your thoughts

This is usually a harmless phrase when people just want to know what’s on your mind, but be careful: If overused and it penetrates the subconscious, you’ll start giving away your intellectual property for practically nothing. Your IP and unique perspective can potentially be worth millions if packaged properly.

Selfishness is a virtue

The masses are programmed from an early age to put the needs of others before their own. While this sounds like a spirit-driven, high-level philosophy, it’s the worst advice you can get when it comes to money. In order to make a lot of money, there is a period of time in the beginning of the wealth building process where you must focus on yourself and your business in order to make it at an uncommon level. Once you acquire wealth, then you can volunteer or give back to charity.

When it comes to money, the best advice to remember is to always look at it from a consciousness of freedom, possibility, opportunity and abundance. Never look at money from a fear and scarcity point of view.

Steve Siebold is the author of How Rich People Think using interviews from over 1,000 of the worlds wealthiest people he’s conducted over the last thirty years to show how they think differently than the middle class. You can learn more at his website How Rich People Think Book.

(Photo courtesy of Ervins Strauhmanis)

Quotes from the World’s Richest Man

May 29, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain 2 Comments

When it comes to getting financial inspiration, it never hurts to follow the advice of some of the most successful people out there. In fact, you should actively seek the thoughts of those who have been successful to try to find inspiration to achieve your own financial goals. You can learn a lot from the words of those like Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. It’s even better if the person who is successful and wealthy is also frugal. You can do that with a new book “The World’s Richest Man: Carlos Slim In His Own Words”

Although in 2014 Carlos Slim was ranked at number two behind Bill Gates as the richest man in the world, he did previously top the list in 2010 as the first person from a developing country to ever to do. Despite his wealth, he still lives in the same house he has for the last 40 years.

The book contains a collection of over 200 quotes giving Carlos Slim’s perspective about business, corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, management, philanthropy, smart investing and wealth. It should give anyone who wants to create wealth a wonderful deposit of inspiration and down-to-earth advice on a variety of business related topics.

Below you’ll find 10 quotes excepted from the book and their original sources:

1. “Whomever doesn’t invest, out of fear, precaution, or whatever, will stay behind.”
— Agence France-Presse, March 9, 2011

2. “Share price is important — in the end. But when does the end come?”
— Financial Times, February 25, 2013

3. “Any personal crisis — you have to use it to get stronger.”
— New Yorker, June 1, 2009

4. “In acquisition, we don’t really move people. We cannot get involved at that level with so many companies. Besides, if you move people, they will run.”
— Korn/Ferry Briefings on Talent & Leadership, Fall 2010

5. “Buying well is a discipline.”
— Arizona Republic, May 30, 2007

6. “Mistakes are normal and human. Make them small, accept them, correct them, and forget them.”
— American University of Beirut, March 18, 2010

7. “Periods of excess make you ambitious, but not always for the right thing.”
— Korn/Ferry Briefings on Talent & Leadership, Fall 2010

8. “I invest for the long term, not the short. If you buy something because it’s cheap, that’s only speculation.”
— New Yorker, June 1, 2009

9. “Firm and patient optimism always yields its rewards.”
–“Questions and Answers,” Carlosslim.com, 2007

10. “I don’t believe too much in luck. I believe in circumstances. I believe in work.”
— George Washington University Global Forum, October 29, 2010

Personally, I find quotes number three, six and ten appeal to me the most from the ten listed above. We all have crisis which we have to overcome, and using them to make you stronger and better is a key to not repeating them again. It’s also vitally important to realize that everyone makes mistakes. The only thing that’s wrong with mistakes is if you don’t learn from them so that you repeat the same ones again and again. Finally, while there may be luck that plays a part for some people building wealth, for the vast majority of us, it’s a matter of creating opportunity from the circumstances we find through our own work.

Of course, that’s just me. Quotes tend to hit different people and different ways, and chances are others may appeal to you more. What is pretty certain is that you can find a large amount of inspiration among the 200 quotes in the book.

14 Money Lessons from Benjamin Franklin

May 15, 2014 By Danielle Warchol 6 Comments

Long before the financial gurus with their TV shows and personal finance books to sell were around, Benjamin Franklin was giving down-to-earth, sound money advice to anyone who would listen. The advice was so sound that it’s still relevant and applicable to this day. Here are ten money lessons from Ben Franklin that you would be wise to follow:

“Money Never Made a Man Happy yet, nor Will It. The More a Man Has, the More He Wants”

Money doesn’t provide happiness. It’s a lesson that many people still have a difficult time remembering today. Ben Franklin knew that money was a means to an end, not the end itself. It’s a tool to help you do the things that make you happy, but it can’t bring happiness just by having it. And if you think that it will bring you happiness, you will always be seeking more because it will never fulfill what you hope it would.

“An Investment in Knowledge Pays the Best Interest”

When people think about investments, they usually think about getting the best interest return on their money. But Ben Franklin knew the best overall return you can get on your money is by investing in yourself and improving your knowledge and skills. When you invest in yourself, you widen your opportunity by being able to do more things. As he says, invest in your knowledge will give you the best return on your money.

“Diligence Is the Mother of Good Luck”

When you see someone that you think is financially lucky, chances are that there was a lot of hard work and diligence that went into that luck. “Luck” usually comes about due to a lot of factors most people never see. An overnight success usually took years of hard work to make happen. Benjamin Franklin knew that the “luck” that others seemed to have came about because they had done the work to take advantage of it when it appeared.

“Do Not Fear Mistakes. You Will Know Failure. Continue to Reach Out”

Everyone will fail from time to time, and this is actually important. In order to improve and get better at anything you do, you will make mistakes along the way. If you begin to fear mistakes, you’ll stop doing the important things you need to do because of this fear. Failure is a part of the learning process, including your finances. Don’t fear those mistakes you make, but learn from them.

“A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned”

This is one of Benjamin Franklin’s most famous quotes, and it’s still one of the most useful for modern society. The adage states that saving money is the most important factor in financial stability and building wealth. Benjamin Franklin knew what he was talking about when it came to saving money, as he was able to put enough aside to retire fairly early.

“If You Do Not Exceed in Quantity as You Lessen the times, Half Your Expense in These Articles Will Be Saved”

This lesson goes hand in hand with the first lesson. If saving is the most important way to build financial stability, then it’s equally important to learn how to save. In this quote from “Plan for Saving One Hundred Thousand Pounds,” he suggests splitting monthly expenses in half. One half is allocated toward necessary amenities such as rent or food, and the other half on superfluous things like entertainment or luxuries. He goes on to say that by buying used items, or limiting the amount you spend on entertainment can help you save money.

“Don’t Give Too Much for the Whistle”

This quote comes from a story that happened during Benjamin Franklin’s childhood. When he was seven, he saw another boy blowing a whistle and wanted the toy for himself. He offered the other boy all his money in exchange for the whistle. He later learned that he had paid more than four times what the whistle was actually worth. He learned an important lesson that many people still need to learn: don’t overpay for items.

“Rather Go to Bed without Dinner than to Rise in Debt”

This lesson cautions people against living beyond their means. This is an important thing to learn as many people in today’s society often fall into debt because they spend money they don’t have in order to life a lifestyle they can’t afford. Living with debt severely impacts your lifestyle and you should do everything you can to prevent it. Readjust your lifestyle if it means you won’t succumb to debt.

“Think What You Do When You Run in Debt: You Give to Another Power over Your Liberty”

We all know that debt is an awful, stressful experience. As the previous two items on the list suggest, it’s important to not overspend on items so you don’t go into debt. As Benjamin Franklin says in this quote: when you go into debt, you’re giving up your freedom. When you’re so far in debt, your life choices start revolving around paying off that debt. Your first priority is the debt, and everything else is secondary.

“He That Is of the Opinion Money Will Do Everything May Well Be Suspected of Doing Everything for Money”

Benjamin Franklin cautioned people against letting money control them. Everyone wants to be financially stable and wants to make enough to buy the things they desire, and it’s easy to convince yourself that your life will be better with more money. But be careful that you don’t let your greed for money control your life. Some people will go out of their way and do risky things for money, sometimes ending up in debt or bankruptcy. Don’t let money control your life.

“Buy What Thou Hast No Need of, and before Long Thou Shalt Sell Thy Necessaries”

Because we live in a society that runs on consumerism and capitalism, people tend to over buy. One of Benjamin Franklin’s best money lessons is admonishing people for consistently buying items they don’t need and can’t afford. We’re all guilty of buying items we never end up using. If you’re looking to save money, consider whether or not you actually need the item you’re thinking of purchasing. Are you only buying it because it’s there in front of you, on sale, or convincingly advertised?

“The Eyes of Other People Are the Eyes That Ruin Us. If All but Myself Were Blind I Should Want Neither Fine Clothes, Fine Houses nor Fine Furniture”

A lot of people try to live beyond their means or compare themselves with neighbors, colleagues, friends, or strangers. If someone has a luxury car or designer clothes, they suddenly want it too, even if they can’t afford it. But why worry over these status symbols? If you can afford to buy them – great! If not, stop comparing yourself to other people and focus on buying what you can afford.

“Never Keep Borrowed Money an Hour beyond the Time You Promised”

This is another great lesson on how to avoid debt and save money. The longer you have loans or credit card debt, the more money you’ll end up paying in interest. This lesson is also useful for those times when you borrow money from a friend or family member. Paying it back in a timely manner is not only polite, but it means they’ll be more likely to lend you money again.

“Gain May Be Temporary and Uncertain, but Ever While You Live, Expense Is Constant and Certain”

This quote is especially relevant in today’s economy. Your financial stability might be secure one day and ruined the next. You never know when you could lose a job or suddenly win a million dollar jackpot. No matter what your current financial situation is, you know that you’ll always have expenses to pay and you should factor that into your daily life regardless of your personal wealth.

For more about Benjamin Franklin pick up a copy of The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. The book has something like 14,000 reviews on Goodreads.com with an overall rating of 4.19 out of 5. Fourteen thousand favorable reviews can’t be wrong. It retails for under $15 bucks so pick up a copy.

(Photo courtesy of Tetsumo)