The use of money is all the advantage there is in having money. For ￡6 a year you may have the use of ￡100 if you are a man of known prudence and honesty.
He that spends a grout a day idly, spends idly above ￡6 a year, which is the price of using ￡100.
He that wastes idly a grout's worth of his time per day, one day with another, wastes the privilege of using ￡100 each day.
He that idly loses 5 grouts' worth of time, loses 5 grouts, and 1)might as prudently throw 5 grouts in the river.
He that loses 5 grouts, not only loses that sum, but all the advantage that might be made by turning it in dealing, which, by the time that a young man becomes old, amounts to a comfortable bag of money.
Again, he that sells upon credit, asks a price for what he sells equivalent to the principal and interest of his money for the time he is likely 2)to be kept out of it: therefore He that buys upon credit, pays interest for what he buys. And he that pays ready money, might let that money out to use; so that he that possesses any thing he has bought, pays interest the use of it.
Consider then when you are tempted to buy any unnecessary household stuff, or any superfluous thing, whether you will be willing to pay interest, and interest upon interest for it as long as you live; and more if it grows worse by using.
Yet, in buying goods, it is best to pay ready money, because, he that sells upon credit, expects to lose 5 per cent by bad debts; therefore he charges, on all he sells upon credit, an advance that shall make up that deficiency.
Those who pay for what they buy upon credit, pay their share of this 3)advance.
He that pays ready money, escapes or may escape that charge.
A penny saved is two pence 4)clear,
A pin a day is a grout a year. |
