Ralph Waldo Emerson: God Billed

Meaning of Ralph Waldo Emerson Money Quote: saying treat debt as though it is owed to god. Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

  

 

“Pay every debt, as if God wrote the bill” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

In this quote, philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson seems to be emphasizing the importance of fulfilling one’s financial obligations responsibly and dutifully. By stating that one should “pay every debt, as if God wrote the bill”, Emerson implies that debts should be treated as sacred duties rather than mere financial liabilities.

The quote conveys Emerson’s view that meeting one’s monetary commitments is a moral imperative that warrants as much care, attention and respect as if the demands came directly from a higher authority.

Overall, Emerson appears to be advocating an ethical approach to debt repayment, one grounded in principles of integrity, accountability and honoring one’s pledged word rather than basing decisions solely on monetary considerations.

Birthday: May 25, 1803 – Death: April 27, 1882

Ziad Abdelnour: Pay Debts Later

Meaning of Ziad Abdelnour Money Quote: saying Debt takes away choice of pay now or later and time increases what is owed. Ziad Abdelnour said:

 


 

“Our debts don’t leave us much in terms of choices. We can choose to pay now or try to pay later. But the longer we wait the steeper the bill” — Ziad Abdelnour

This quote from Ziad Abdelnour suggests that debt obligations, while providing some flexibility in timing of repayment, ultimately must be addressed and the longer resolution is delayed, the greater the costs become. Some key points in interpreting his perspective:

• Abdelnour implies that debt holders have a choice between paying debts currently or attempting to pay later, but procrastination makes the burden heavier.
• He portrays debt as imposing limits on autonomy through the need to repay, with options narrowing the longer payment is put off due to accumulating interest and penalties.
• Abdelnour’s perspective conveys that while creditors afford leeway, the price of delaying resolution steadily increases over time.
• However, reasonable experts acknowledge that prudent use of credit for some large, planned purchases like education, when part of a holistic strategy, need not become excessive or unmanageable if serviced responsibly according to one’s means.

Overall, the quote reflects Abdelnour’s belief that delaying debt repayment exacerbates its costs. But the best interpretation also considers that responsible use of leverage for some important goals, when combined with savings, need not undermine independence or security if managed judiciously according to individual circumstances and priorities over the long term.

Ronald Reagan: Higher Inflation Bill

Meaning of Ronald Reagan Money Quote: saying when any person or business spends more than they earn, it means bankruptcy. However, government does it and collects taxes to cover it. Inflation results.. Ronald Reagan said:
 

 

“When a business or an individual spends more than it makes, it goes bankrupt. When government does it, it sends you the bill. And when government does it for 40 years, the bill comes in two ways: higher taxes and inflation. Make no mistake about it, inflation is a tax and not by accident” — Ronald Reagan

In this quote, Ronald Reagan is drawing a comparison between how businesses and individuals operate financially versus how the government does. He states that when a business or person spends more than they earn, they go bankrupt. However, when the government does this by overspending for many years, it results in higher taxes and inflation rather than bankruptcy.

Reagan argues that inflation essentially functions as a hidden tax, since the rising prices that come with inflation reduce citizens’ purchasing power and standard of living over time. His point is that by continually overspending for decades without addressing the deficit, the government has to make up for it through tax increases on citizens or fueling inflation, both of which negatively impact the average taxpayer.

So in summary, the quote is criticizing long-term government overspending by asserting that unlike businesses or individuals, the government can avoid bankruptcy by instead passing on the costs to citizens through mechanisms like higher taxes and the inflation tax, which Reagan says is not accidental but rather a deliberate outcome of persistent fiscal irresponsibility.

Birthday: February 6, 1911 – Death: June 5, 2004

Raymond Chandler: Agent Receipts

Meaning of Raymond Chandler Money Quote: saying author agents don’t provide receipts, but simply takes ten percent off of their income. Raymond Chandler said:
 

 

“The agent never receipts his bill, puts his hat on and bows himself out. He stays around forever, not only for as long as you can write anything that anyone will buy, but as long as anyone will buy any portion of any right to anything that you ever did write. He just takes ten per cent of your life” — Raymond Chandler

In this quote, Raymond Chandler is describing how literary agents operate. The best interpretation is that Chandler is saying once an author signs with an agent, that agent will essentially take a cut (10%) of the author’s career earnings in perpetuity, even for works the author writes long after their initial relationship.

By saying the agent “never receipts his bill” and “stays around forever”, Chandler suggests agents maintain their representative percentage on any sale or license of an author’s back catalog for their entire lifetime, not just for an initial project or term.

In short, Chandler appears to be commenting wryly on how agents financially benefit from an author’s work indefinitely through commission well after their involvement together begins.

Birthday: July 23, 1888 – Death: March 26, 1959

Dale Carnegie: Applause Receipt

Meaning of Dale Carnegie Money Quote: saying audience applauding is like a proof of performance, not a demand for payment. Dale Carnegie said:
 

 

“Applause is a receipt, not a bill” — Dale Carnegie

In this quote, Dale Carnegie is drawing a comparison between applause and a receipt/bill. The best interpretation is that Carnegie is suggesting applause functions as a form of acknowledgment or confirmation rather than something that financially obligates the recipient.

Just as a receipt confirms a transaction but does not create a debt, so too does applause validate or endorse someone’s performance or words without placing any expectation of further compensation or action upon them.

Carnegie seems to be saying applause should be accepted graciously as positive feedback, not as a demand for more that must be repaid or fulfilled.

Birthday: November 24, 1888 – Death: November 1, 1955

Walter Matthau: Six More Months

Walter Matthau Money Quote saying his doctor told him he’s dying asked him to pay his bill, extended his life span to pay off the bill. Walter Matthau said:
 

 

“My doctor gave me six months to live, but when I couldn’t pay the bill he gave me six months more” — Walter Matthau

In this humorous quote, Walter Matthau is playing on the idea of a doctor extending a patient’s time left to live based on financial reasons rather than medical ones. Specifically:

• Matthau jokes that his doctor initially gave him a dire prognosis of only having “six months to live”.
• However, he then quips that when the doctor realized Matthau couldn’t pay the bill for telling him this, he generously gave the patient “six months more” of additional predicted life simply due to lacking payment.

The best interpretation is that Matthau is comically suggesting his doctor was willing to prolong his expiration date not for health reasons but due to lacking compensation for the office visit. Matthau portrays money as motivation even in matters of life and death predictions according to his comedic perspective on the intersection of medicine and finances.

Birthday: October 1, 1920 – Death: July 1, 2000

Suze Orman: Paying Down Debt

Suze Orman Money Quote saying it’s best to establish a rainy day fund than to pay down credit cards. Suze Orman said:
 

 

“I want to repeat advice I have been giving ever since the pandemic began: I would prefer you put your emergency fund ahead of paying down credit card debt. You must, must, must pay at least the minimum due on every credit card bill” — Suze Orman

In this quote, Suze Orman is advising prioritizing an emergency fund over paying down credit card debt during the pandemic. Her reasoning is that having cash reserves is more important than paying off credit cards when there is so much economic uncertainty.

By maintaining an emergency fund that can cover essential expenses for several months, one protects against potential job loss, medical costs, or other unexpected expenses that could arise.

As long as minimum payments are made on credit cards to avoid late fees and interest charges, focusing first on building an emergency cushion provides greater security during unstable times

Benjamin Franklin: Wartime Billing

Benjamin Franklin Money Quote saying the costs of war are rarely paid in the time of war – rather it comes later in unforeseen ways and at higher cost than expected. Benjamin Franklin said:
 

 

“Wars are not paid for in wartime, the bill comes later” — Benjamin Franklin

In this quote, Benjamin Franklin was pointing out that the full costs of wars are not always apparent during the wars themselves. While significant resources are spent on military operations and supplies during wartime, Franklin notes that there are also long-term economic and social costs that come due in the future, or “later.”

Some interpretations are that nations face expenses like caring for veterans or rebuilding infrastructure long after wars have ended. Franklin’s message seems to be that the bill for wars extends beyond the active fighting and that nations should be aware of these future or hidden costs when deciding to go to war. His point is that the true price of wars may not be fully paid or understood until much later.

Birthday: January 17, 1706 – Death: April 17, 1790