One of the fathers of our very nation, Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat, statesman and author. But personal finance blogger? Well, OK maybe he wasn't a blogger, but the result was the same.
Benjamin Franklin was the author of Poor Richard's Almanac. (A great name for a blog, if I do say so...). He wrote the series of books under a pseudonym - Richard Saunders, and covered topics as diverse as productivity, saving money, the weather, poetry and many more.
He published the series for 25 years, and at its height of popularity sold around 10,000 copies a year.
If Benjamin Franklin had been alive today, I think its a fair bet that Poor Richard's Almanac would be one of the most popular personal finance blogs on the web. So, as a tribute to the true father of the personal finance blogosphere, here are a few famous quotes from Benjamin Franklin that still apply:
“A penny saved is a penny earned.” These days it would probably be a dollar saved is a dollar earned. And actually, a dollar saved is worth more than a dollar earned, when you factor for taxes!
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” Want a guaranteed investment? Learn something new. An investment in human capital is always the best investment, and one that never loses value.
“Having been poor is no shame, being ashamed of it is.” Franklin built his own business and became wealthy in the publishing trade. He achieved more than many men would ever dream of, but he was never ashamed of his humble beginnings.
“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.” This one requires no explanation. Once your basic needs are met, more money is not as necessary as you may think. Too many people trade their lives for money and have nothing to show for it.
“Rather go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt.” Too true. Debt leverages your present for an uncertain future. Its more important than ever to remain debt free.
Those are just a few pearls from Benjamin Franklin's writing over the years. There's hundreds more. Thanks, Benjamin. No wonder your face is on the $100 bill...
Photo By: Tetsumo
I love Ben Franklin. His writings and his hard work is an inspiration to us all
ReplyDeleteYes, I suppose Franklin was like a blogger in many ways - periodic writing, self-published, etc. It's not too much of a stretch. Interesting idea.
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