Ezra Pound

Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most.

There are but two ways of paying debt-increase of industry in raising income, increase of thrift in laying out.

Debt is to man what the serpent is to the bird; its eye fascinates, its breath poisons, its coil crushes sinew and bone, its jaw is the pitiless grave.

I say to you never involve yourself in debt, and become no man’s surety.

A mortgage casts a shadow on the sunniest field.

Debt is dumb. Cash is king.

Debt is the slavery of the free.

To preserve their independence, we must not let our rules load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.

Owing money has never concerned me so long as I know where it could be repaid.

Debt is normal. Be weird.

It is the debtor that is ruined by hard times.

A man must cut down his outgoings and save his incomings if he wants to clear himself; you can’t spend your penny and pay debts with it too. Stint the kitchen if the purse is bare. Don’t believe in any way of wiping out debts except by paying hard cash. Promises make debts, and debts make promises, but promises never pay debts…

A decent society wouldn’t push millions of student into debt. It would recognize that higher education isn’t mainly a personal investment. It is a public good.

It is always so pleasant to be generous, though very vexatious to pay debts.

You should always live within your income, even if you have to borrow to do so.