Billie Holiday: Regular Job Singing

Billie Holiday Money Quote saying as an aspiring artist that she impressed her mom with her ability to earn enough to cover expenses. Billie Holiday said:
 

 

“When I showed Mom the money for the rent and told her I had a regular job singing for eighteen dollars a week, she could hardly believe it” — Billie Holiday

In this quote, Billie Holiday is reminiscing about showing her mother the money she had earned from her first steady singing job, where she was paid $18 per week. A few key points:

• As a young woman just starting her career, this relatively small amount of $18 per week from singing regularly would have been an achievement and source of pride.
• She brought the money to her mother, likely still living at home, to pay the family rent. This shows her eagerness to contribute financially.
• Her mother was surprised and proud, finding it hard to believe her daughter at a young age had secured a stable job performing music weekly, even if the pay was modest.
• The quote reflects a moment of joy and accomplishment for the up-and-coming Holiday, as well as pride and relief for her mother that her daughter was earning an income through her musical talents.

Birthday: April 7, 1915 – Death: July 17, 1959

Elon Musk: Borrow Money for Rent

Elon Musk Money Quote saying his percentage of the profits from sale of PayPal were invested in his other business ideas. Elon Musk said:
 

 

“My proceeds from the PayPal acquisition were $180 million. I put $100 million in SpaceX, $70m in Tesla, and $10m in Solar City. I had to borrow money for rent” — Elon Musk

In this quote, Elon Musk is describing what he did with the proceeds from the sale of his company PayPal in 2002. He invested $100 million into his rocket company SpaceX, $70 million into the electric car company Tesla, and $10 million into the solar energy company SolarCity.

The fact that Musk then had to borrow money for rent suggests he put virtually all of the $180 million he received from PayPal back into his new business ventures, leaving himself cash-poor personally as a result.

The quote paints Musk as someone fully committed to and confident in his ambitious vision, willing to risk all his PayPal fortune on revolutionary companies focused on space travel, electric vehicles and sustainable energy rather than keeping the money for himself.

Neil Gaiman: Good Lies Say True Things

Writer Neil Gaiman Money Quote saying fiction can tell the truth and thereby support an author. Neil Gaiman said:
 

 

“Stories may well be lies, but they are good lies that say true things, and which can sometimes pay the rent” — Neil Gaiman

In this quote, Neil Gaiman is making the point that while stories and fictional narratives may not be factually true accounts of real events, they can still convey deeper truths about human nature, experience and the world. Even though stories are “lies” in that they are made up, they can illuminate meaningful insights through metaphor, symbolism and creative exploration of ideas.

Gaiman seems to be saying that stories have value beyond mere entertainment – they can impart wisdom and shed light on profound aspects of life. He also suggests that stories have practical value, since talented storytellers have historically been able to earn a living, or “pay the rent,” by writing and sharing their imaginative tales with others.

Muhammad Ali: Doing Good Pays Your Way

Muhammad Ali Money Quotation saying Our good works toward those in need pays our way through this life. Muhammad Ali said:
 

 

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth” — Muhammad Ali

In this insightful quote, boxing legend Muhammad Ali seems to be conveying that contributing value to other people through acts of service or assistance is a fundamental part of our purpose while alive. By stating that service to others is the “rent we pay for our room here on earth”, Ali appears to be arguing that giving back to humanity and enhancing the lives of others through our efforts is a kind of karmic or spiritual cost of living that we incur for inhabiting this world.

The quote portrays service not just as a virtue but almost an obligation or price of admission for our existence. Overall, Ali’s words suggest that truly fulfilling our role involves finding ways, great or small, to support and enrich the lives of our fellow humans through compassion and dedication to their well-being as part of repaying our debt for the gift of life itself.

Birthday: January 17, 1942 – Death: June 3, 2016