Poor Richard’s quaint sayings on money

If you can get past the occasional Yoda phrasings, Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard proverbs are full of good advice (I suggest Gizoogling them into Jive – it gives the somewhat stilted language a bit more street cred).

Here are some of my favorites on frugality and wealth-building:

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

2. Creditors have better memories than debtors.

3. Women and wine, game and deceit, make the wealth small and the wants great.

4. The borrower is slave to the lender and the debtor to the creditor.

5. He that lives on hope will die fasting.

6. Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times.

7. He that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.

8. Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom.

9. Industry pays debts, while despair increases them.

10. A fat kitchen makes a lean will.

11. Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.

12. Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.

13. At the workingman’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.

14. For age and want, save while you may; No morning sun lasts a whole day.

15. Gain may be temporary and uncertain; but ever while you live expense is constant and certain.

16. ‘Tis easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel.

17. Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.

18. Get what you can, and what you get hold; ‘Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold.