Looking for money quotes to keep you motivated? Here are 40 of the best quotes about saving, budgeting, investing and money mindset, from Warren Buffett and Benjamin Franklin to Morgan Housel and a very wise Mr Micawber. Pin your favourites and keep them where you’ll see them.
Some days, sticking to a budget feels easy. Other days, that “add to basket” button is calling your name and your savings goal feels miles away. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit!
That’s when a good money quote can help. A few wise words can remind you why you’re saving, help you rethink a spending habit, or give you the push to finally start investing.
I’ve gathered 40 of my favourite money quotes and sorted them into four groups: saving, budgeting, investing and money mindset. Pin your favourites, write one on a sticky note, or set one as your phone background. Little reminders really do add up.
Money quotes about saving
- “Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.” – British proverb
- “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” – Mr Micawber, in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield
- “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” – often attributed to Warren Buffett
- “It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits.” – Charles A. Jaffe
- “Thrift is not an affair of the pocket, but an affair of character.” – S.W. Straus
- “Frugality includes all the other virtues.” – attributed to Cicero
- “A penny saved is a penny earned.” – proverb, often credited to Benjamin Franklin
- “Waste not, want not.” – proverb
- “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” – often attributed to Will Rogers
My take: Mr Micawber’s quote is nearly 200 years old and still spot on. Spending even a little less than you earn changes everything. If you want a head start, try my ways to save energy at home.
Money quotes about budgeting and spending
- “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” – John C. Maxwell
- “Never spend your money before you have it.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “Money looks better in the bank than on your feet.” – Sophia Amoruso
- “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” – Warren Buffett
- “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus
- “Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self.” – Nathan W. Morris
- “Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.” – P.T. Barnum
- “He who buys what he does not need steals from himself.” – Swedish proverb
- “The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.” – often attributed to Will Rogers
- “Know what you own, and know why you own it.” – Peter Lynch
My take: I love the John Maxwell quote. A budget isn’t about saying no to everything. It’s about deciding ahead of time where your money goes. If you’re new to budgeting, the 50/30/20 rule is a lovely simple place to start.
Money quotes about investing and building wealth
- “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – proverb
- “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett
- “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.” – Warren Buffett
- “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1.” – Warren Buffett
- “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!” – John C. Bogle
- “Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy.” – John C. Bogle
- “The four most dangerous words in investing are: ‘this time it’s different.'” – Sir John Templeton
- “In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.” – Robert Arnott
- “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.” – often attributed to Albert Einstein
My take: “Buy the haystack” is the best beginner investing advice in seven words. It means buying a low-cost index fund rather than trying to pick winners. I explain exactly how to do that in How to Start Investing in the UK (Even With Little Money).
Money quotes about mindset and getting out of debt
- “Doing well with money has a little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave.” – Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money
- “Wealth is what you don’t see.” – Morgan Housel
- “You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.” – Dave Ramsey
- “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” – Jim Rohn
- “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” – Ayn Rand
- “Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.” – often attributed to John Wooden
- “Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.” – Suze Orman
- “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.” – Dave Ramsey
My take: Morgan Housel’s line is such a relief to read. You don’t need to be a maths genius to get good with money. You just need a few good habits, repeated.
5 ways to actually use these money quotes
Quotes are lovely, but they work best when you put them where you’ll see them.
- Stick one on your bank card or inside your purse, for a pause before you tap.
- Set one as your phone lock screen, so you see it before you open a shopping app.
- Write one at the top of your monthly budget as your theme for the month.
- Make a savings jar label with your favourite quote and your goal amount.
- Share one with a friend who’s working on a money goal too. Accountability helps!
Money quotes: FAQs
What is the most famous money quote?
“A penny saved is a penny earned” is one of the best known. In the UK, “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves” is just as popular.
What is a good quote about saving money?
Benjamin Franklin’s “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship” is a brilliant reminder that small spends add up.
What did Warren Buffett say about money?
Some of his best-known lines are “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get” and “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1.”
What is a good budgeting quote?
John C. Maxwell’s “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went” is one of the most popular budgeting quotes.
What is a good quote about investing for beginners?
John C. Bogle’s “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!” sums up why low-cost index funds suit most beginners.
Keep going!
I hope at least one of these quotes gave you a little spark of motivation today. Pick your favourite, put it somewhere you’ll see it, and take one small money step this week.
Your next read: How to Cut Your Grocery Bill UK: 15 Ways That Really Work
Note: quotes marked “often attributed” are widely credited to that person, but the original source is uncertain.
Plan your next money step
My free 7-Day Financial Reset Kit helps you review household spending. If you prefer a paid planner, my Bills & Renewal Dashboard gives you a place to keep your own figures and reminders.
This is general information, not personal financial advice. Check official guidance and current retailer terms for your circumstances. Financial disclaimer.
About the author: Dr Kalpana Govindaraasan is the PhD scientist, former secondary science teacher and mum behind MoneySavvyUK, turning complex household money topics into practical steps.