There are powerful quotes about wealth meant to inspire you to go out and seize the mountaintop. On the other hand, some quotes about wealth offer caution about letting greed take control. Sometimes the best tips come from someone with a storied history in money management and investments. Clearly, these words of wisdom can come from a variety of sources.

Don’t discount the tough lessons learned by folks who made more than their share of mistakes though. The School of Hard Knocks has many students. Those who graduate, however, are often wise beyond their years because of the experience. For this reason, we'll examine some of the greatest quotes about wealth to mold your luxury lifestyle.

Maybe you’re sitting high with tons of cash in reserve, just waiting for the next big investment. Or you might be down and out, wondering where next month’s rent is coming from. And quite possibly, you’re just in the mood for a laugh.

As it turns out, there are quotes about wealth and success in general to meet all needs. These gems are delivered in styles that will suit all tastes, too. So if you’re in the mood to be inspired, settle in for the wit and wisdom of some great minds. 

We’ve tried to index these quotes about wealth to allow you to find the type of inspiration you’re looking for. Whether you’re trying to save for a rainy day or teaching your kids the value of a dollar, stay tuned. When you’re done, you just might have a different perspective on the often difficult relationship with money.

We all know the benefits of financial security. Beyond the familiar material trappings of wealth, there’s at least some peace of mind about the future. But as we frequently see, situations and fortunes can change in the blink of an eye.

For that reason, more than a few wise folks have warned about putting one’s trust in money. These quotes about wealth also include admonitions about spending too much time pursuing things.

“Money often costs too much.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.” -- Benjamin Franklin

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” -- Seneca

While cash might be more fun to spend right now, that is hardly the point of acquiring wealth. When we’re young, money burns a hole in our pocket. Sometimes the same can be said of us later in life, but we learn to keep that reflex in check.

Instead, we set aside plenty for our current responsibility and our projected future needs. By all means, have fun with the rest. But the following quotes emphasize the importance of thinking ahead.

“Buy when everyone else is selling and hold until everyone else is buying. That’s not just a catchy slogan. It’s the very essence of successful investing.” -- J. Paul Getty

“How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case.” -- Robert G. Allen

“The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator.” -- Ben Graham

While financial security is important, having the biggest bank account is not the meaning of success. Countless quotes about wealth from throughout the ages seek to impart this wisdom. If you’re focused on keeping up with the Joneses, maybe it’s time to step back and take a breather. Take in some of the following quotes. These thinkers were able to describe what they believe makes a better focus than simply building a fortune.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” -- Epictetus

“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money. It lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.” -- Norman Vincent Peale

Money cannot buy happiness, but it can lease some pretty nice stuff. If that’s enough for you, then keep earning until you’re fulfilled. For everybody else, it’s good to diversify your interests. And there have been plenty of quotes about wealth advising just that.

A few of our favorites are below, but the underlying message has been shared for eons. Being rich gives you a means to an end. Wealth, however, encompasses so much more. Find out what some of our favorite money minds had to say about this concept.

“Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.” -- P.T. Barnum

“Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.” -- Benjamin Franklin

“Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more.” -- Charles Caleb Colton

All right, so now you’ve heard some of the abstract theories about wealth. This advice can help us maintain a better perspective on the necessity of money. But if you want to know what it takes to actually make money, that’s a different story. Thankfully, plenty of brilliant investors and academics have weighed in.

Though the specifics vary from person to person, you’ll find a common theme. The best quotes about wealth in this category focus on a simple reality of making money. Basically, you just need a reliable budget to keep yourself honest. Don’t look to the government or your spendthrift uncle. Each month, spend less than you bring in. Then combine that discipline with smart investments. Others have phrased it far more eloquently. But at the end of the day, amassing wealth boils down to mastering these concepts.

“When buying shares, ask yourself, would you buy the whole company?” -- Rene Rivkin

“I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy.” -- Warren Buffett

“Financial peace isn’t the acquisition of stuff. It’s learning to live on less than you make so you can give money back and have money to invest. You can’t win until you do this.” -- Dave Ramsey

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” -- Charles Dickens

Many people treat the pursuit of material things as the ultimate goal. In reality, this approach has sent countless investors into a dangerous spiral. If all of your attention is in attaining more, you’ll likely find it’s never enough. Instead, an incredible number of quotes about wealth encourage a different goal.

Find what truly inspires you to become greater and succeed. Even if you think another path would make you rich faster, it might not be the best choice. Typically, people who dedicate their lives to pursuing passion find fulfillment. It can be easier to turn a passion into a career than vice versa.

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us. Doors open for us, we feel useful and the work we do feels like play to us.” -- Julia Cameron

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.” -- Maya Angelou

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” -- Mark Twain

It might sound counter-intuitive, but many quotes about wealth recognized no expert has all the answers. That’s why some of the most helpful quotes put the onus on the individual. Nobody will make all the decisions for you and remove all risk from your life.

Even if that were the case, you’d be living a very dull existence. By learning your own lessons, often through mistakes, you will come out more mature through the experience. And there is no shortage of successful people who have been in the same position.

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” -- Dale Carnegie

“Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.” -- Jim Rohn

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” -- Thomas A. Edison

Finance is serious business. That’s why it’s all the more important to take time to smile. Money can be stressful, but it can also provide a source of levity. If all the heavy consequences of your financial situation has you down, cheer up. Most of us have been there, too. Maybe it’s time to enjoy a laugh or two. We thought including a few of the funniest quotes about wealth would be a great way to end.

“I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And of course I bought some dumb stuff, too.” -- Steve Martin

“If all the economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion.” -- George Bernard Shaw

“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.” Yogi Berra

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