There’s nothing like an inspirational quote to motivate us. When you’re teaching your kids about money, quotes can be a great reinforcement tool. But how many pithy phrases about finance just roll off your tongue?
Sure, we all know the classic one: “Money doesn’t grow on trees”. It’s a standard, quick-fire response to “Mom, I’d like a new bike” or “Dad, when will you raise my allowance?” Trot it out too often, though, and it could prove less of a motivator and more of an eye-roller.
To help, we’ve pulled together 40 quotes on finance, from budgeting to borrowing, saving, and more. Now, when you think your kids aren’t listening, you can floor them with the wisdom of others. You’ll find quotes from financial gurus, business prodigies, entrepreneurs, philosophers, and presidents too.
Next time you’re tempted to trot out that proverb, why not try quoting
Matshona Dhliwayo’s version for a change? “Money doesn’t grow on trees, but grows on intelligent minds,” he says. Rather than suggest money’s a limited resource, it’ll remind your kids to be smart with it instead.
40 quotes to teach kids about money
On budgeting
1. “Budgeting your money is the key to having enough.” (Elizabeth Warren.)
2. “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” (Dave Ramsey.)
3. “A budget doesn’t limit your freedom; it gives you freedom” (Rachel Cruze.)
4. “Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” (Joe Biden.)
On earning
5. “Money grows on the tree of persistence” (Japanese proverb.)
6. “It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.” (Oscar Wilde.)
7. “Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.” (Miguel de Cervantes.)
8. “Many folks think they aren’t good at earning money, when what they don’t know is how to use it.” (Frank A Clark.)
On investing
9. “Before you invest, investigate.” (William A Ward.)
10. “Rule No 1 is never lose money. Rule No 2 is never forget Rule No 1.” (Warren Buffet.)
11. “Invest for the long haul. Don’t get too greedy and don’t get too scared”.
(Shelby M C Davis.)
12. “Buy when everyone else is selling and hold until every else is buying. That’s not just a catchy slogan. It’s the very essence of successful investing”.
(J Paul Getty.)
On saving
13. “Don’t save what money is left after spending. Rather, only spend the money that remains after saving funds.” (Warren Buffett.)
14. “If you want to get rich, think of saving as earning”. (Andrew Carnegie.)
15. “A simple fact that is hard to learn is that the time to save money is when you have some.” (Joe Moore.)
16. “If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting”. (Benjamin Franklin.)
On spending
17. “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.)
18. “To acquire money requires valor, to keep money requires prudence, and to spend money well is an art”. (Berthold Auerbach.)
19. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.” (Will Rogers.)
20. “Before you spend, earn.” (William A Ward.)
On delayed gratification
21. “Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you should buy it.” (Suze Orman.)
22. “Any fool can spend money. But to earn it and save it and defer gratification – then you learn to value it differently.” (Malcolm Gladwell.)
23. “Money looks better in the bank than on your feet.” (Sophia Amoruso.)
24. “We must consult our means rather than our wishes.” (George Washington.)
On borrowing
25. “Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self.” (Nathan W. Morris.)
26. “It’s amazing how fast later comes when you buy now.” (Milton Berle.)
27. “Debt erases freedom more surely than anything else”. (Merryn Somerset Webb.)
28. “Never spend your money before you have earned it”. (Thomas Jefferson.)
On financial intelligence
29. “The more you learn, the more you earn.” (Warren Buffett.)
30. “The key factor that will determine your financial future is not the
economy; the key factor is your philosophy.” (Jim Rohn.)
31. “Money doesn’t grow on trees, but grows on intelligent minds.” (Matshona Dhliwayo.)
32. ”It’s simple arithmetic: your income can grow only to the extent you do.” (T Harv Eker.)
On money management
33. “You’ve got to tell your money what to do or it will leave”. (Dave Ramsey.)
34. “A person either disciplines his finances or his finances discipline him.”
(Orrin Woodward.)
35. “Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of Ws you control in your life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.” (Tim Ferriss.)
36. “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” (Ayn Rand.)
On wealth
37. “Capital as such is not evil; it is its wrong use that is evil. Capital in some form or other will always be needed.” (Mahatma Gandhi.)
38. “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” (Henry David Thoreau.)
39. ”If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed." (Edmund Burke.)
40. “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for." (Robert Kiyosaki.)
How can GoHenry help improve your child’s financial knowledge?
Mantras are useful to reinforce messages about money. But if your children have a GoHenry prepaid kids debit card, you have another helpful tool at your disposal: Money Missions. You’ll find it at your fingertips in the GoHenry app.
Money Missions help kids develop their money skills through a series of bite-sized, interactive games and quizzes. They’re designed to accelerate your child’s financial literacy and help achieve our mission to make every kid smart with money. What’s more, you can use your GoHenry parent app to track your child’s progress.
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