I dedicate my upcoming book to Ben Franklin, the apostle of frugality and industry

I dedicate my upcoming book The Frugal Economy to my favorite American founding father Ben Franklin.

Ben Franklin famously said:

“The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market.

It depends chiefly on two words: industry and frugality.

That is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both.

Without industry and frugality nothing will do; with them, everything.”

In his short book The Way to Wealth, Franklin extols the virtues of frugality and industry which are key to do BETTER with LESS, that is lead a fruitful life by wasting less your time and money.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this book published in 1758:

“God helps those who help themselves”

“If you love life, do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of”

“So by diligence, shall we do MORE with LESS perplexity”

“There are no gains without pains”

“Plough deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and keep”

“The cat in gloves catches no mice”

“If you want a faithful servant, and one that you like — serve yourself”

“A fat kitchen makes a lean will”

“A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees”

“If you want to know the value of money, go and try to borrow some”

“Rather go to bed supperless, than rise in debt”

Franklin used the word “industry” as synonym of “diligence” and invited us to apply frugality in our personal lives.

In my next book, however, I show how the US is applying frugality to its industrial sector and unleashing a Manufacturing Renaissance across America, especially in its hinterland.

PS: Don’t miss Apple’s limited series “Franklin” which depicts the 8 years Franklin (brilliantly played by Michael Douglas) spent in France to convince King Louis XVI to support the nascent United States in the American Revolutionary War.