--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish I could Buy Time - just write a…" description: "\"I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the door containing three months (along with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg" --- # I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few… ![“I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the door containing three months (along with an extra bonus sunny weekend for being a good customer).” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg) > “I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the door containing three months (along with an extra bonus sunny weekend for being a good customer).” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagining time as a purchasable commodity highlights the desire to control life’s pace and the frustration of limited moments. **In simple terms:** Time as a commodity. Key Takeaway We wish we could buy extra time. Themes time management desire fantasy consumerism Mood wistful playful Type humorous thought‑provoking When to use this quote - personal productivity - stress relief - creative work Key Concepts temporal scarcity wish fulfillment Practical Applications - time‑tracking apps - self‑care routines Questions to Reflect On - If time could be bought, what would you spend it on? - Does commodifying time change its value? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bonus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonus/) [Boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxes/) [Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brown/) [Buy Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-time-369536/) [Cardboard boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardboard-boxes/) [Cheque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheque/) [Cheque Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheque-days-1184853/) [Cheques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheques/) [Containing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/containing/) [Customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Extras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extras/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Months Extra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months-extra-1184854/) [Sunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunny/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-months/) [Weekend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weekend/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Write Cheque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-cheque-1184855/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The moment I write out a cheque, it's an asset I have written off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/the-moment-i-write-out-a-cheque-it-s-an-asset-i-have-written-off/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) > [Supposing I write out a cheque for a billion dollars to the foundation, does it mean anything? There must be evidence of philanthropy. Otherwise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/supposing-i-write-out-a-cheque-for-a-billion-dollars-to-the/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) > [As for the largest-hearted of us, what is the word we write most often in our cheque-books? "Self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-phillpotts/as-for-the-largest-hearted-of-us-what-is-the-word-we-write-most-often/) [Eden Phillpotts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-phillpotts/) > [What good is all the cash if it doesn't buy time and what good is bein famous if I'm never on your mind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/what-good-is-all-the-cash-if-it-doesn-t-buy-time-and-what-good-is/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [You can't buy time. Everything, for me, seems to be a race against time. Especially musically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/you-can-t-buy-time-everything-for-me-seems-to-be-a-race-against-time/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [For every book you buy, you should buy the time to read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/for-every-book-you-buy-you-should-buy-the-time-to-read-it/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [“buying books would be a good thing if we also could buy the time to read them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/buying-books-would-be-a-good-thing-if-we-also-could-buy-the-time-to/) [arthur schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [You can’t buy time, Nick. Ever. It’s the only thing in life you can’t get most of, and it’s the one thing that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-can-t-buy-time-nick-ever-it-s-the-only-thing-in-life-you-can-t/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The only thing we can't buy more of is time." she said. "And dodo birds. We can't buy any more of them. they're extinct.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/the-only-thing-we-can-t-buy-more-of-is-time-she-said-and-dodo-birds/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Spent hundred thousand on the watch, who said you cant buy the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-quperlier/spent-hundred-thousand-on-the-watch-who-said-you-cant-buy-the-time/) [Simon Quperlier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-quperlier/) > [Time. I would have gone somewhere to buy time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/time-i-would-have-gone-somewhere-to-buy-time/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“Just as money can’t buy happiness, neither can it buy time affluence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/just-as-money-can-t-buy-happiness-neither-can-it-buy-time-affluence/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [“We cannot defeat him. We can only buy you time... Twelve minutes... I can give you that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-cannot-defeat-him-we-can-only-buy-you-time-twelve-minutes-i-can/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/top-15-things-money-can-t-buy-time-happiness-inner-peace-integrity/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [You can't buy time or save it, common idioms notwithstanding. You can only spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-zorn/you-can-t-buy-time-or-save-it-common-idioms-notwithstanding-you-can/) [Eric Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-zorn/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Bonus quotes > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm happy doing what I'm doing, and if you have that kind of attitude then everything else from there on is a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/i-m-happy-doing-what-i-m-doing-and-if-you-have-that-kind-of-attitude/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [“All fair in love and bonus round”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-charters/all-fair-in-love-and-bonus-round/) [David Charters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-charters/) > [People paid money for tickets to see us and be entertained by us, and we've never forgotten that. Anything after that was a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-young/people-paid-money-for-tickets-to-see-us-and-be-entertained-by-us-and/) [Malcolm Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-young/) > [Just as Wall Street needs to break the hold of the bonus culture, which drives risk-taking that is rational for individuals but damaging to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-schekman/just-as-wall-street-needs-to-break-the-hold-of-the-bonus-culture/) [Randy Schekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-schekman/) > [“I have a hard time keeping my hands off you without that added bonus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-have-a-hard-time-keeping-my-hands-off-you-without-that-added-bonus/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I feel very privileged to get to read and write and not to have to do things that I don't like, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-feel-very-privileged-to-get-to-read-and-write-and-not-to-have-to-do/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [After 40, every day is a bonus. We should know how to live our lives to the fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/after-40-every-day-is-a-bonus-we-should-know-how-to-live-our-lives-to/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [I'd love to go and I'd love to play for my country and go to a World Cup again. I've got to accept I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/i-d-love-to-go-and-i-d-love-to-play-for-my-country-and-go-to-a-world/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [If I win, it's a bonus. If I lose, the sun still comes up the next day, and it's all good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/if-i-win-it-s-a-bonus-if-i-lose-the-sun-still-comes-up-the-next-day/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [If you're going to take away our sponsors, why not bump it up to $100,000 for a fight bonus? Let us scrap it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/if-you-re-going-to-take-away-our-sponsors-why-not-bump-it-up-to-100/) [Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/) > [A lot of companies make diversity a part of the performance goals against which an executive gets paid. Just as you have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-jordan/a-lot-of-companies-make-diversity-a-part-of-the-performance-goals/) [Vernon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-jordan/) > [Well, I got better after this, and my entire family really did appreciate it. 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(after winning the Grand Slam Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/it-s-a-nice-bonus-but-you-know-i-have-to-pay-taxes-too-after-winning/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) [Browse all 284 Bonus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at the door containing three months (along with an extra bonus sunny weekend for being a good customer).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bonus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f89/neil-gaiman-29_bonus_i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-che_96676.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wish I could Buy Time - just write a cheque, and a few days later a brown cardboard box would arrive at…” — Neil Gaiman", "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": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wish I could Buy Time...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-wish-i-could-buy-time-just-write-a-cheque-and-a-few-days-later-a/#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 } } ] } ```