proverb · Words worth keeping
Saving is getting.
Saving is getting.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Avoiding an unnecessary loss can preserve resources just as acquiring more can increase what is available. The saying treats careful retention as a form of gain.
Example
A group reuses suitable materials already on hand instead of buying replacements it does not need.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Saving and getting are made equivalent to draw attention to what remains after a choice. It can encourage using an existing resource well or declining a needless expense. Yet keeping something is not always better than using, sharing or replacing it. A careful application considers the purpose of the resource and what the apparent saving costs in effort or usefulness. It does not promise wealth from thrift alone.
When to use it
Use it to notice resources preserved by avoiding an unnecessary expense or loss.
Keep in mind
Saving does not guarantee prosperity, and useful spending or generosity can be worthwhile.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English