The Secret Of Wealth

Too many of us have permitted a "contempt of money" to grow up within us and a particular contempt for small amounts--say, less than a dollar.

A carfare more or less each day, a taxi fare every week or so, a luncheon check for some one else twice a month or three or four movie tickets a week--what do they amount to? They amount to over $50,000 in the average lifetime of a man. Just a carfare a day, a taxi a week, a luncheon twice a month and a few movie tickets--there's $50,000 handed out without hope of return in the normal lifetime of a man.

The figures seem pretty strong because they are added together and the interest on the total is compounded. Perhaps you do not do all of these things. It may be that you do only one of them but even one of them means hundreds or thousands of dollars in a few years.

There is nothing more despicable than a penurious or stingy person but there is nothing more foolish than sowing nickels, dimes and dollars among new acquaintances who only laugh at your folly.

The man who really has money, who has learned to save money and who knows by hard knocks what money is worth does not spend it that way.

It is the man with only a few dollars in his pocket, who is most given to tossing them around, because the man with a few thousands has learned to keep them.

It is the really rich, who husband their resources. Many of them have grown rich through the wisdom of knowing when it is proper that they should pay.

A young person being placed in the position of host or entertainer or even companion to an older person of wealth or position is likely to overdo the matter in his effort at entertainment.

Many people, who can ill-afford the expense, repeatedly and persistently insist upon paying the way for the little party of which they happen to be a member. And the others let them pay.

The frequent display of money and of offers to pay everything is not an indication of either wealth or liberality but rather is merely a vulgar display and indicates, to people of seasoned wealth, that the free-handed one has not yet become accustomed to handling money.

27 of 132 pages. Go to page: