What does ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’ mean?
To “a penny saved is a penny earned” means to frugality is a form of income. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, though the sentiment is older in English proverbial literature. Brewer's records related maxims of thrift.
Origin
- Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, though the sentiment is older in English proverbial literature. Brewer's records related maxims of thrift.
How to use it
- Standard advice on saving.
- Example: Skip the coffee out — a penny saved is a penny earned.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.