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Posts Tagged ‘wealth’

I found an old primer in a bookstore, and among its selected readings was “Advice to a Young Tradesman” by Benjamin Franklin. Here are a few excerpts.

Remember that time is money. He who can earn ten shillings a day by his labor, and goes abroad or sits idle one half of that day, though he spend but six-pence during his diversion or idleness, ought not to reckon that the only expense; he has really spent, or thrown away, five shillings besides.
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Remember that money is of a prolific, generating nature. Money can beget money, and its offspring can beget more, and so on. Five shillings is turned six; turned again, it is seven and three pence; and so on till it becomes a hundred pounds. The more there is of it, the more it produces every turning, so that the profits rise quicker and quicker.
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If you take the pains at first to mention particulars, it will have this good effect; you will discover how wonderfully small, trifling expenses mount up to large sums, and will discern what might have been, and may, for the future, be saved without occasioning any great inconvenience.
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In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality, nothing will do, and with them, everything will do.