--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people talk about cash being king…" description: "\"When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything.\" — Warren Buffett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png" --- # When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if… ![“When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png) > “When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything.” [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Money must be actively used to generate value; idle cash loses power and opportunity. **In simple terms:** Cash must work, not just sit. Key Takeaway Invest or allocate resources wisely. Themes finance investment productivity Mood practical analytical Type financial advisory When to use this quote - business planning - personal budgeting - investment strategy Key Concepts capital efficiency opportunity cost Questions to Reflect On - What idle assets could you put to work? - How do you balance risk and liquidity? A Different Perspective Liquidity needs may require holding cash reserves. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Cash King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash-king-488282/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [King King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-king-764122/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-talk/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Talk Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-cash-4181315/) ## Related quotes > [When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything. There are times when cash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-warren-buffett/when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-it-s-not-king-if-it-just-sits-2/) [Howard Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-warren-buffett/) > [In times of crisis, cash is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-salinas-pliego/in-times-of-crisis-cash-is-king/) [Ricardo Salinas Pliego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-salinas-pliego/) > [Debt is dumb. Cash is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/debt-is-dumb-cash-is-king/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Cash is king, and the bloodline of any business. I believe that any business should have sufficient cash flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/touker-suleyman/cash-is-king-and-the-bloodline-of-any-business-i-believe-that-any/) [Touker Suleyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/touker-suleyman/) > [Cash is king in Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-grobbelaar/cash-is-king-in-africa/) [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-grobbelaar/) > [We want to use cash. The reason we haven't used our cash two years ago, we just didn't find things that were that attractive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-want-to-use-cash-the-reason-we-haven-t-used-our-cash-two-years-ago/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“Let the son of a king be a king, I will rule them in their kingdom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/let-the-son-of-a-king-be-a-king-i-will-rule-them-in-their-kingdom/) [Dr.P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [The food on the plane was fit for a king. "Here, King!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/the-food-on-the-plane-was-fit-for-a-king-here-king/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [“What will you prefer if you have new king or the king of good times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/institute-for-translation-of-hebrew-literature/what-will-you-prefer-if-you-have-new-king-or-the-king-of-good-times/) [Institute for Translation of Hebrew Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/institute-for-translation-of-hebrew-literature/) > [Number one, cash is king... number two, communicate... number three, buy or bury the competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/number-one-cash-is-king-number-two-communicate-number-three-buy-or/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“Revenue is Vanity, Profit is Reality and Cash is King. Where is your King Plan?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janna-hoiberg/revenue-is-vanity-profit-is-reality-and-cash-is-king-where-is-your/) [Janna Hoiberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janna-hoiberg/) > [“Cash is king. No matter how many good opportunities come your way, do not invest all your cash. If you run out of reserves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-chaves-mes-n/cash-is-king-no-matter-how-many-good-opportunities-come-your-way-do/) [Mauricio Chaves Mesén](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-chaves-mes-n/) > [“In economy, cash is king. But it will be a great king if it is in the hands of the people who can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marionito-marquez/in-economy-cash-is-king-but-it-will-be-a-great-king-if-it-is-in-the/) [Marionito Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marionito-marquez/) > [Cash is king. Get every drop of cash you can get and hold onto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/cash-is-king-get-every-drop-of-cash-you-can-get-and-hold-onto-it/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A king is no king without his people, but a people without their king would be lost as well. Lan Fan (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/a-king-is-no-king-without-his-people-but-a-people-without-their-king/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) ## More by Warren Buffett > [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-set-no-volume-goals-in-our-insurance-business-generally-and/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [It is better to point out your own mistakes than have somebody else do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-is-better-to-point-out-your-own-mistakes-than-have-somebody-else/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I've read about all the sales today. If you're an auto dealer, you're feeling it. If you're a furniture retailer like we are, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-ve-read-about-all-the-sales-today-if-you-re-an-auto-dealer-you-re/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most common cause of low prices is pessimism - some times pervasive, some times specific to a company or industry. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-common-cause-of-low-prices-is-pessimism-some-times-pervasive/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [What you really want to do in investments is figure out what's important and knowable. If it's unimportant or unknowable you forget about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-you-really-want-to-do-in-investments-is-figure-out-what-s/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I don't measure my life by the money I've made. Other people might, but certainly don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-measure-my-life-by-the-money-i-ve-made-other-people-might-but/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I mean the truth is, I've never had it so good in terms of taxes. I am paying the lowest tax rate that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-mean-the-truth-is-i-ve-never-had-it-so-good-in-terms-of-taxes-i-am/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) [Explore all 984 Warren Buffett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## More Cash quotes > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [Nothing knits man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-sickert/nothing-knits-man-to-man-like-the-frequent-passage-from-hand-to-hand/) [Walter Sickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-sickert/) > [“It’s me,” he says softly. “Stop listening to everything else. Remember the way you feel when I’m kissing you and touching you. Don’t think with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/it-s-me-he-says-softly-stop-listening-to-everything-else-remember-the/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [After I graduated, I carried on with my academic work, via grants but I often had a market stall on Camden Market selling hand-painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/after-i-graduated-i-carried-on-with-my-academic-work-via-grants-but-i/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [You might be a redneck if you have a picture of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or Elvis over your fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-have-a-picture-of-johnny-cash-willie/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [American forces in Iraq found $650 million in American cash sealed in a hidden cottage. See, this is why President Bush wants to invade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/american-forces-in-iraq-found-650-million-in-american-cash-sealed-in/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I feel a lot better when I've got a bit of cash on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-feel-a-lot-better-when-i-ve-got-a-bit-of-cash-on-me/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [If our financial industry regarded security the way the health-care sector does, I would stuff my cash in a mattress under my bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-rubin/if-our-financial-industry-regarded-security-the-way-the-health-care/) [Avi Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-rubin/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The only issue cash presents you is the independence of not stressing about funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-only-issue-cash-presents-you-is-the-independence-of-not-stressing/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [It's funny about men and women. Men pay in cash to get them and pay in cash to get rid of them. Women pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/it-s-funny-about-men-and-women-men-pay-in-cash-to-get-them-and-pay-in/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [ I mean, you take a look at this, it's one way. \[Mexicans\] get the jobs, they get the factories, they get the cash, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-mean-you-take-a-look-at-this-it-s-one-way-mexicans-get-the-jobs/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It was really starting to get pathetic, everyday they would come in looking for one thing or another. 'Zach, can you give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/it-was-really-starting-to-get-pathetic-everyday-they-would-come-in/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [One of my officers said to me that Trinidad and Tobago is seen like an ATM card... you come in with the card and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamla-persad-bissessar/one-of-my-officers-said-to-me-that-trinidad-and-tobago-is-seen-like/) [Kamla Persad-Bissessar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamla-persad-bissessar/) [Browse all 1,141 Cash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warren Buffett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-it-s-not-king-if-it-just-sits/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cash" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-it-s-not-king-if-it-just-sits/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/warren-buffett-183_cash_when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-i_487987.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people talk about cash being king, it's not king if it just sits there and never does anything.” — Warren Buffett", "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": "Warren Buffett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people talk about cash being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-it-s-not-king-if-it-just-sits/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/when-people-talk-about-cash-being-king-it-s-not-king-if-it-just-sits/#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 } } ] } ```