Ask thy purse what thou shouldst buy.
Ask thy purse what thou shouldst buy.
Meaning in plain English
Let your available resources help set your spending. A desirable purchase still needs to fit what you can reasonably afford alongside your other commitments.
Example
A music student checks the cost of travel and lessons before choosing an instrument, rather than spending the whole term’s budget on the most attractive model.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The purse is made into an adviser because it holds the money available for a decision. The proverb asks desire to consult that practical limit before choosing a purchase. It may be useful when an attractive offer distracts someone from expenses they have already committed to meet. This does not reduce every buying decision to the lowest possible price. Quality, usefulness and timing also matter, and essentials may exceed a person’s resources through no fault of their judgement. The point is to make affordability explicit instead of treating wanting something as proof that it fits the budget.
When to use it
Use it before a discretionary purchase that must fit limited resources.
Keep in mind
Budgeting cannot solve every shortfall, especially when essential costs exceed available income.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-03. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 43 · Ask
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗