If you’re anything like me, it can be extremely difficult to stay motivated on this journey to financial freedom 24/7. When you just need something to help you stay focused on your goals, these budget quotes will inspire you, motivate you, and help you stay the course when you feel like giving up!
These 51 budget quotes are from the smartest and most encouraging people this world has ever known. Their wisdom is summed up in just a few words.
I hope these words will help you reset your thinking and become determined to take control of your money this year.
Quotes About Budgeting
1. “It isn’t what you earn but how you spend it that fixes your class.”
― Sinclair Lewis
Think you need to earn a certain amount of money to consider yourself a higher class? Nope! It’s how you manage your money that determines how much you have left to give you the life you want.
2. “We must consult our means rather than our wishes.”
― George Washington
This is a different way of saying that you should think about what you need more than what you want. It’s a very important step when you set your budget.
3. “Budgeting has only one rule: Do not go over budget.”
― Leslie Tayne
This is so simple, but so true! If you find yourself going over budget, rework the numbers so that you know you have enough to cover your expenses.
4. “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” ― Dave Ramsey
This is the best thing about a budget. You stay in control of your finances.
5. “They call it a budget so you don’t budge from it.” ― Mike Figgis
What a creative way to think about that word. Don’t budge. Stick to your budget.
6. “A budget is a financial plan to control future operations and results.” ― Jae K. Shim
When you set a budget, you are taking control of your entire future.
7. “The secret to budgeting is that it needs to be honest. Not what you think it should be or wish it could be, but what it really is.” ― Lisa Conway-Hughes
Budgeting is the most vulnerable form of honesty. You must admit how much you actually have, and use that amount.
8. “Wealth is largely the result of habit.” — John Jacob Astor
This is so true. What habits do you have that are affecting your wealth?
9. “Do not save what is left after spending; instead spend what is left after saving.” ― Warren Buffett
When you prioritize your savings, you will discover how much more money you have in the bank. Set up automatic transfers to your savings right after pay day instead of at the end of your pay period.
10. “Never spend your money before you’ve earned it.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Spending money before you earn it is the literal definition of debt. It is what will keep you from financial freedom.
11. “If you don’t get serious about your money, you will never have serious money.” ― Grant Cardone
Budgeting and money management takes serious focus and determination – and it pays off in the end.
Quotes About Money And Happiness
12. “A penny saved is a penny earned.” ― Benjamin Franklin
We all know this quote and it’s a timeless one that will never lose its truth. When you save money, it is as good as if you earned it.
13. “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” ― Ayn Rand
Never allow money to control you. You determine how you spend it and where it goes. That’s the beauty of a budget.
14. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.” ―Will Rogers
This is incredibly true. When you sit down to do your budget, ask yourself why you are spending money where you are. Is it to impress people? Have these spending habits improved your life at all?
15. “Once your money is in balance, you can stop worrying about it. Managing your money becomes automatic.” ― Elizabeth Warren
Doesn’t that sound amazing? To manage your money in such a way that it is an automatic habit and you can stop worrying about it – it’s possible!
16. “If you can stay happy and in control of your life, money will be easier to manage.” ― J.D. Roth
Many experts agree that poor money management often follows with depression or anxiety. Sometimes you need to take care of yourself before you try to take care of your money.
17. “Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time.” — Margaret Bonanno
They also say that time is money. Well, when you have more time to spend with people you love, you feel so much more wealthy!
18. “Money, like emotions, is something you must control to keep your life on the right track.” ― Natasha Munson
The minute you allow your money to get out of control, you begin to attract a lot of other problems too. Manage your money and your life will be easier too.
19. “The greatest wealth is to live content with little.” ― Plato
When you are content with a few possessions, you will be able to manage your spending more effectively. This is why minimalism and frugality go hand in hand.
20. “It’s not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” ― Seneca
The more you crave, the more you will buy, and the less it will satisfy you. True contentment will bring you true wealth.
21. “Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.” ― Napolean Hill
How you think really does affect how you act. Keep your mind focused on living within your means and you’ll have a richer life.
22. “Every cent you own and every moment you spend is always an investment.” ― Natalie Pace
Prioritize your time and money with the same values. They often follow each other.
23. “One reason people resist change is because they focus on what they have to give up, instead of what they have to gain.” ― Rick Godwin
What do you have to gain from budgeting and managing your money? Keep that as your focus and don’t pay attention to anything that you are giving up. It is such good advice.
Quotes About Money And Life
24. “When you buy a bigger house, another luxury car, or a fancy boat, you are showing people that you used to have money.” ― Christopher Manske
Isn’t this the truth? Every single time someone makes a huge purchase, they are showing off that they now have that much less money. It’s a really good way of looking at it.
25. “If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.” ― Edmund Burke
This is another way of looking at the downside of allowing money and spending to control us. We must always control it.
26. “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” ― Henry Ford
When you change the way you think, you set yourself up for success. This is true for budgeting and for all other aspects of your life.
27. “Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.” ― P.T. Barnum
You should never be serving your money or at the mercy of your money. You are the one in control.
28. “Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you should buy it.” ― Suze Orman
Controlling your spending habits – even when you can afford it – will set you up for long term success with your money.
29. “There are people who have money and people who are rich.” ― Coco Chanel
It isn’t just money that makes you rich. It is how you spend your time and how you show the people you love that you value them.
30. “Being in control of your money means being in control of your life.” ― Sam Beckbessinger
When your money is out of control, it is a pretty good indicator about other areas of your life.
31. “Would you rather spend your tomorrow today or save today and spend it tomorrow?” ― Ken Monyoncho
You’ll have to read this quote a few times to get it. Basically, if you spend your money before you earn it, you are spending time too because you’ll have to work harder to pay that back.
32. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” ― Mark Twain
Not only is this true about money, but it’s true about life. If you are feeling overwhelmed with budgeting, break it down to the smallest steps. This is the best place to start.
33. “Financial freedom is available to those who learn about it and work for it.” ― Robert Kiyosaki
Yes, financial freedom is an option for everyone – you just have to work hard for it to get it.
34. “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” — Michelangelo
The Renaissance artist was very wise. When you set our goals too low, we always hit that mark. It’s better to aim high and eventually you will reach it.
35. “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Stop sitting around wishing you had money for a vacation, or a the ability to take that trip and plan out how you are going to make that work.
36. “Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.” ― Josh Billings
Debt is a very tempting trap. Once you get ensnared in it, the trap is very difficult to get out of. It’s so much wiser to not get into it in the first place.
37. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” ― Tony Robbins
Even though you can’t see how you are going to become debt free, the very first step is to set that goal.
38. “Those who don’t manage their money will always work for those who do.” ― Moses Tan
The true definition of financial freedom is being able to make your money work for you.
39. “The slightest adjustments to your daily routines can dramatically alter the outcomes in your life.” ― Darren Hardy
The very habits such as shopping, budgeting, and thinking before you spend money can all have a very real affect on your life.
40. “The speed of your success is limited only by your dedication and what you’re willing to sacrifice.” ― Nathan W. Morris
Be completely focused on your financial goals and attack them with passion. This is the best way to achieve them.
41. “A fool and his money are soon parted.” ― Thomas Tusser
If you are foolish with your money, you won’t have much left. This is a bit of wisdom that has been passed down in lots of cultures.
Famous Quotes About Budgets
42. “Budgeting is not just for people who do not have enough money. It is for everyone who wants to ensure that their money is enough.” ― Rosette Mugidde Wamambe
Think about that. Even the wealthiest of people need to set a purpose for their money so that they don’t overspend. It should never be your goal to have so much money that you don’t have to budget.
43. “When it comes to money and so many other things in life, understanding your weaknesses and strengths can help you with your future plans.” ― Tagene Brown-McBean
This is true whether you have a spouse or you are single. You need to know what your strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to money so you can work through them.
44. “A budget is more than just a series of numbers on a page; it is an embodiment of our values.” ― Barack Obama
Deciding what you value is the best first step before you start to figure out the numbers. Do you want to save for retirement? Or is traveling now more important?
45. “Budgets are blueprints and priorities.” ― Kevin McCarthy
If you ever wanted to know more about yourself and your values, start to create a budget. You’ll learn very quickly what you care about the most.
46. “With an understanding of your budget and your true needs, you may start putting away more money than you ever expected.” ― Larry Dyson
After you start to understand what you value the most, you’ll have more passion and focus on achieving those goals.
47. “Used correctly, a budget doesn’t restrict you; it empowers you.” ― Tere Stouffer
Think about that! A budget is actually a tool of empowerment. It gives you the ability to make your dreams come true.
48. “Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” ― Joe Biden
This is another fantastic way to say that a budget really is a window into the soul. What you want to spend money on shows you what you value the most.
49. “When money realizes that it is in good hands, it wants to stay and multiply in those hands.” ― Idowu Koyenikan
Sure, money doesn’t actually have a mind of its own, but when you start handling money correctly, you’ll see it increase.
50. “Beware of little expenses; a little leak will sink a great ship.” ― Benjamin Franklin
It’s amazing how those small things – a few coffees, a handful of dinners out – all add up very quickly.
51. “If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If you want sustainability, take off two zeros.” ― Jaime Lerner
The more you save, the more money you will have when you need it! This is the best advice.
Final Thoughts
I hope these budget quotes inspire you to take control of your finances and make a plan for how you are going to spend only what you make. This way of thinking will take you far!
