--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better to have it and not need it than to…" description: "\"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.\" — Tamora Pierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/tamora-pierce-935_better_better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-t_1610406.png" --- # Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not… ![“Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” quote by Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/tamora-pierce-935_better_better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-t_1610406.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/tamora-pierce-935_better_better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-t_1610406.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/tamora-pierce-935_better_better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-t_1610406.png) > “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having resources before need is safer than lacking them when required. **In simple terms:** Better to be prepared than to lack when needed. Key Takeaway Prepare ahead of time. Themes preparation security resourcefulness Mood practical cautious Type advice motivational When to use this quote - emergency kits - financial planning - skill development - career planning Key Concepts risk management strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What resources should you prioritize? - How do you balance readiness with flexibility? A Different Perspective Over‑preparation can lead to waste or anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-need-258644/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-need/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) ## Related quotes > [“better to have it and not need it than need it and be fucked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chatfield/better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-need-it-and-be-fucked/) [Michael Chatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chatfield/) > [“It's better to HAVE and NOT NEED than to NEED and NOT HAVE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-park/it-s-better-to-have-and-not-need-than-to-need-and-not-have/) [LINCOLN PARK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-park/) > [“It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Better to have something and not need it, than need something and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-phil/better-to-have-something-and-not-need-it-than-need-something-and-not/) [Uncle Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-phil/) > [It's better to have and not need than need and not have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-american-proverb/it-s-better-to-have-and-not-need-than-need-and-not-have/) [African-American Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-american-proverb/) > [Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/better-to-have-and-not-need-than-to-need-and-not-have/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellis/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have/) [George Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ellis/) > [“It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-harrington/it-s-better-to-have-something-and-not-need-it-than-to-need-something/) [Julie Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-harrington/) > [It's better to have security and not need it than need it and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-lopez-cantera/it-s-better-to-have-security-and-not-need-it-than-need-it-and-not/) [Carlos Lopez-Cantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-lopez-cantera/) > [“Most of us have been deeply shaped by the false notion that in order for people to behave better they need to feel worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-lakshmi-piepzna-samarasinha/most-of-us-have-been-deeply-shaped-by-the-false-notion-that-in-order/) [Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-lakshmi-piepzna-samarasinha/) > [“In the past, she could never count on him, and now she was old enough to know better than to need anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/z-e-haslie/in-the-past-she-could-never-count-on-him-and-now-she-was-old-enough/) [Zøe Haslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/z-e-haslie/) > [“True forgiveness creates the space for someone to be better even when they can’t see why they need to be better, or how.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-hadeed/true-forgiveness-creates-the-space-for-someone-to-be-better-even-when/) [Troy Hadeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-hadeed/) > [There are things that I need to do better, and I need to get to a point where it's hard to not have me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-bamba/there-are-things-that-i-need-to-do-better-and-i-need-to-get-to-a/) [Mohamed Bamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-bamba/) > [God knows better than we do what we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/god-knows-better-than-we-do-what-we-need/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [If you want to work on getting better, you need to start by knowing where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-work-on-getting-better-you-need-to-start-by-knowing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tamora Pierce > [Lord Raoul asked me to tell you that if you get yourself killed, he will never speak to you again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/lord-raoul-asked-me-to-tell-you-that-if-you-get-yourself-killed-he/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [I will be known forever as the Puppy who chased a cutpurse and caught fish garbage instead. My descendants will pretend I'm not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-will-be-known-forever-as-the-puppy-who-chased-a-cutpurse-and-caught/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Dreadful sorry mistress. Ma always said I was too silly to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/dreadful-sorry-mistress-ma-always-said-i-was-too-silly-to-die/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Frostpine made a face. Lifting the cup, he dumped its contents down his throat. “Auugghh!” he yelled, his voice stronger than it had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/frostpine-made-a-face-lifting-the-cup-he-dumped-its-contents-down-his/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Face it," Gary told her kindly. "You'll never catch up. You just do as much as you can and take the punishments without saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/face-it-gary-told-her-kindly-you-ll-never-catch-up-you-just-do-as/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“The god inside the man glanced at Aly. "This is your chessboard, I believe, my dear." Aly beamed at him. "So it is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/the-god-inside-the-man-glanced-at-aly-this-is-your-chessboard-i/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [She's all over us like maggots on garbage, just because I interfered with one pickpocket yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/she-s-all-over-us-like-maggots-on-garbage-just-because-i-interfered/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [What if custom is wrong? demanded the part of her that believed in the code of chivalry. A knight must set things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/what-if-custom-is-wrong-demanded-the-part-of-her-that-believed-in-the/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [When it was her own doing, she was always tempted to skip a day, or just glance down, then get back to the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/when-it-was-her-own-doing-she-was-always-tempted-to-skip-a-day-or/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Wouldn't--" Kel began to say, but the words stuck in her mouth. She swallowed and tried again. "Wouldn't it be well, not nice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/wouldn-t-kel-began-to-say-but-the-words-stuck-in-her-mouth-she/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [You'll see. I'm as good as any boy. I'm better. - Kel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-ll-see-i-m-as-good-as-any-boy-i-m-better-kel/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“I don't know about some of these other people, particularly the ministers who served my uncle." "Can't you get rid of them?" Kaddar shook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-don-t-know-about-some-of-these-other-people-particularly-the/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [You must tell Lady Alanna that sometime. I'd do it from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-must-tell-lady-alanna-that-sometime-i-d-do-it-from-a-distance/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [If I have to 'catch' a man to get a husband, I don't want one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-i-have-to-catch-a-man-to-get-a-husband-i-don-t-want-one/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [George looked at her for a long moment. Finally he replied, "And why do you find it so hard to think someone might like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/george-looked-at-her-for-a-long-moment-finally-he-replied-and-why-do/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) [Explore all 323 Tamora Pierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. 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