“Every time history repeats itself, the price goes up”
"History repeats itself" is an old proverb. In February 1944, a new slant to the proverb appeared in a Los Angeles (CA) newspaper: "After reading about the cost of the present war…
“Exceptions prove the rule—and wreck the budget”
A budget often comes with conditions or exceptions. "'Exceptions prove the rule' -- and wreck the family budget" was written by newspaper columnist Olin Miller in May 1963.…
“Excrement living on increment”
British writer and journalist Hugh Kingsmill (1889-1949) once described the old pensioners living at a seaside hotel as "excrement living on increment." The infrequently used expression…
“Experience is a comb that life gives you after you lose your hair”
“Experience is a comb that life gives you after you lose your hair" is credited to Judith Stern. In his March 1955 syndicated newspaper column "Try and Stop Me," Bennett Cerf…
“Fall in love with your bills and maybe they’ll leave you, too”
"Fall in love with your bills and maybe they'll leave you, too" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "FALL in LOVE with your BILLS and Maybe they'll…
“Farted on my wallet and now I have gas money”
"Gas money" means "money to buy gas (for the car)," but there's a joke: "Farted on my wallet and now I have gas money." "I farted in the room and charged…
“Fear and greed move markets” (Wall Street proverb)
It's often said that Wall Street has only two emotions -- fear and greed. Fear creates panic selling and drives markets down. Greed creates buying frenzies and drives markets up. The proverb…
“Fear is temporary, greed is permanent”
A Wall Street saying since at least the 1960s is that "fear and greed move markets." Thomas N. Mathers, president of a Chicago investment counselling firm (Mathers and Company) and…
“Federal Reserve Note: Monopoly money backed by the violence of the state”
Many people have commented that Federal Reserve Notes are comparable to Monopoly money -- that is, paper backed by nothing. "FEDERAL RESERVE NOTES: MONOPOLY MONEY BACKED BY THE VIOLENCE OF THE…
“Fifty female pigs plus fifty male deer equals one hundred sows and bucks”
A joke tells an easy way to get rich. Get 50 female pigs and 50 male deer and you will have one hundred sows and bucks ($100,000, or "one hundred thousand bucks"). The joke has been cited…
“Financial Services for the Greater Good” (TIAA-CREF)
"Financial Services for the Greater Good" is the slogan of TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance And Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund). http://www.tiaa-cref.org/…
“First the free market dies, then dies democracy”
Folker Hellmeyer, the chief strategist with Bremer Landesbank, was quoted on a German website on October 12, 2008: "Erst stirbt der freie Markt, dann stirbt die Demokratie.""First…
“Folks spend their health to acquire wealth and later spend their wealth to regain their health”
"Health is wealth is an old proverb, and a version of it is "Folks spend their health to acquire wealth and later spend their wealth to regain their health." "Janesville people…
“Fools rush in where wise men fear to trade”
"For fools rush in where angels fear to tread" is a famous line in English poet Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" (1711). A horse-buying parody was popular in 1881:…
“Four cents short of a nickel”
"Four cents short of a nickel" is a description of someone who is "not all there." The expression is found on many lists of "full deckisms" (that is, "he's…
“Friends are people who stick together until debt do them part”
People marry until "death do them part." A saying about friends was attributed to New York City-born character actor Keenan Wynn (1916-1986), as described in this newspaper column about…
“Fun is like insurance — the older you get. the more it costs”
"Life Insurance...the older you get the more it costs" has been cited in life insurance advertisements since at least 1905. In March 1911, Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard…
“Gas, Grass or Ass—Nobody rides for free”
"Gas, Grass or Ass -- Nobody Rides Free!" was a popular bumper sticker, cited in print since at least May 1978. The message means that, to pay for a ride, the driver will accept gas…
“Gather those rosebuds”
Larry Wachtel (1930-2007) was the "Voice of Wall Street" on WINS news radio in New York City from 1972 to 2005. He signed off with his catchphrase, "gather those rosebuds."…
“Get Met. It Pays” (Metropolitan Life)
Metropolitan Life (or, Met Life) has been in New York City for about 130 years. Its most popular representation is the Met Life building at 200 Park Avenue (formerly the Pan Am building). "Get…