--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you give money, spend yourself with it." description: "\"If you give money, spend yourself with it.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg" --- # If you give money, spend yourself with it. ![“If you give money, spend yourself with it.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg) > “If you give money, spend yourself with it.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spending money should be accompanied by personal effort and responsibility, not just consumption. **In simple terms:** Money should be earned and used wisely. Key Takeaway Earn and spend responsibly. Themes responsibility economics self‑reliance Mood thoughtful practical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - budgeting - entrepreneurship - personal budgeting - financial planning Key Concepts frugality personal finance Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance saving with enjoying life? - What values guide your spending choices? A Different Perspective Excessive frugality may hinder enjoyment of life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [“Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-they-most-need-though-it-be/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [For me as an individual, it's important that I have a career as a role model for my children, that I earn my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinny-woodall/for-me-as-an-individual-it-s-important-that-i-have-a-career-as-a-role/) [Trinny Woodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinny-woodall/) > [“if i had much money to spend i would like to bought a books...if there's plenty more left i would bought a toys...if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-had-much-money-to-spend-i-would-like-to-bought-a-books-if-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I make my own money , so I spend it how I like !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-make-my-own-money-so-i-spend-it-how-i-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody thought about having more money than you could ever spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slick-rick/nobody-thought-about-having-more-money-than-you-could-ever-spend/) [Slick Rick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slick-rick/) > [Now that I have the access and money, I spend all of it on clothes and shoes. I have no other pursuits. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diljit-dosanjh/now-that-i-have-the-access-and-money-i-spend-all-of-it-on-clothes-and/) [Diljit Dosanjh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diljit-dosanjh/) > [Got so much money I cant spend this shit myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/webbie/got-so-much-money-i-cant-spend-this-shit-myself/) Webbie > [I very rarely shop. The only money I spend is on, like, Uber and food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-very-rarely-shop-the-only-money-i-spend-is-on-like-uber-and-food/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [We get a deal o' useless things about us, only because we've got the money to spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/we-get-a-deal-o-useless-things-about-us-only-because-we-ve-got-the/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You can make money two ways - make more, or spend less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope-bryant/you-can-make-money-two-ways-make-more-or-spend-less/) [John Hope Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope-bryant/) > [“Don't let someone spend money who never earned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cole/don-t-let-someone-spend-money-who-never-earned-it/) [Nick Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cole/) > [We need to prioritize ending the influence of corporate special interests and secret money on politicians by limiting the amount of money they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-smith/we-need-to-prioritize-ending-the-influence-of-corporate-special/) [Tina Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-smith/) > [Lord, the money we do spend on Government and it's not one bit better than the government we got for one-third the money twenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/lord-the-money-we-do-spend-on-government-and-it-s-not-one-bit-better/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Economy is half the battle in life, but it is not so hard to earn money as to spend it well. Hundreds would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/economy-is-half-the-battle-in-life-but-it-is-not-so-hard-to-earn/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) [Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you give money, spend yourself with it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/henry-david-thoreau-20_giving_if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it_1853387.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you give money, spend yourself with it.” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you give money, spend yourself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```