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Methods of Economy 开辟幸福人生
◎ Samuel Smiles
The methods of practicing economy are very simple. Spend less than you earn. That is the first
rule. A portion should always be set apart for the future. The person who spends more than he earns,
is a fool.
The next rule is to pay ready money, and never, on any account, to run into debt.
The person who runs into debt is apt to get cheated; and if he runs into debt to any extent, he
will himself be apt to get dishonest. “Who pays what he owes, enriches himself.”
profit may never come, and in that case you will have taken upon yourself a load of debt which you
may never get rid of.
Another method of economy is, to keep a regular account of all that you earn, and of all that you
necessary means for obtaining it. Thus his domestic budget will be balanced; and his expenditure3
kept within his income.
It is difficult to fix the precise limits of economy. Bacon says that if a man would live well
within his income, he ought not to expend more than one-half, and save the rest. This is perhaps too
Wherever there is a large family, the more money that is put to one side and saved, the better.
Economy is necessary to the moderately rich, as well as to the comparatively poor man. Without
economy, a man cannot be generous. He cannot take part in the charitable work of the world.
If he spends all that he earns, he can help nobody. He cannot properly educate his children, nor
put them in the way of starting fairly in the business of life. Thousands of witnesses daily testify, that
Men of all classes are, as yet, too little influenced by these considerations. They are apt to live
beyond their incomes. To save money for avaricious8 purposes is altogether different from saving it
for economical purposes. The saving may be accomplished9 in the same manner by wasting nothing,
prudent11 economist12 spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment13, and saves a surplus for
some future time. The avaricious person makes gold his idol14, whereas the thrifty15 person regards it as
a useful instrument, and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who
are dependent upon him. The miser is never satisfied. He amasses16 wealth that he can never consume,
but leaves it to be squandered17 by others, probably by spendthrifts; whereas the economist aims at
securing a fair share of the world’s wealth and comfort, without any thought of amassing18 a fortune.
should not be crowned with eventual20 success. It produces a well regulated mind it gives prudence21 a
triumph over extravagance; it gives virtue the mastery over vice5; it puts the passions under control; it
drives away care; it secures comfort. Saved money, however little, will serve to dry up many a tear;
will ward22 off many sorrows and heart burnings, which otherwise might prey23 upon us. Possessed24 of a
When interruption of work or adversity happens, he can meet them; he can recline on his capital,
which will either break his fall, or prevent it altogether.
想要生活节俭是一件十分容易的事。首要原则是：收入大于支出。为了将来，我们应该
储存一部分钱。那些支出大于收入的人，是十足的笨蛋。
第二条原则就是不要四处借钱。抵制任何让自己负债累累的行为。
负债的人大都习惯编造谎言。某人一旦债务缠身，他就很容易变得不诚实。“将花销控制
在收入的范围内，就会使自己变得富有。”
第三条原则就是在不确定的利润到手之前，永远不要动用自己的存款。一旦没有得到利
润，你便会深陷债务危机，甚至永远不能翻身。
第四条原则就是定期将你所有的收入与花销记录下来。无论做什么事，一个生活有规划
的人事先总会知道要做什么，并提供此事所需的资金。更重要的是，他们往往能够达到收支
平衡。
人们很难精准地确定节俭的范围和程度。培根曾说过，如果一个人要达到收支平衡，他
花销的数额一定不能超出收入额的一半，并能将其余的钱都存起来。或许这种定位太过苛
刻，连培根也没有遵循自己的言论。一个人应该将收入的多少用在房租上？这恐怕得由个人
的情况而定。
无论家庭成员有多少，积累的钱越多，人们的生活就越好。节俭，无论对中等收入家庭
还是贫穷人群，都是至关重要的。不知道节俭的人，就无法成为一个慷慨大方的人。囊中羞
涩的他，只能远离所有的社会慈善活动。
一个人假如身无分文，那就根本谈不上帮助别人。他既不能给予孩子良好的教育，也不
能指导孩子在社会上找到发展方向。日常生活中，成千上万的事实已充分证明，即使智商不
高的人，也可以成功地养成节俭的习惯。
然而，节俭对于各阶层人士的影响仍显得微不足道。他们更习惯过着负债的生活。出于
贪欲与吝啬而存钱与节俭是截然不同的概念。两者都主张杜绝浪费，竭尽全力节省每一样东
西，不过两者的出发点则各不相同。守财奴唯一的乐趣在于积累；而谨慎的节俭之人是在力
所能及的范围内，尽情享受生活的同时，积攒钱财以备不时之需。在贪婪的人心中，金子就
是他的偶像；而在节俭之人看来，金子只是一种有用的工具，一种提高自身以及家人生活质
量的物质。守财奴永远不会有满足感。他们从不享用自己积累起来的财富，而他们留下的遗
产，最大的可能就是被他的家人挥霍一空。而节俭的人根本没有聚敛多少财富的想法，他们
在乎的是眼前的生活，确保优质生活的同时积累金钱。
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