Who would keep a cow when he may have a bottle of milk for a penny!
Meaning: Owning the burden of providing for something costs more than simply purchasing what you need when you need it.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Perseverance
- A wise man changes his mind; a fool never. — Holding firm to wrong beliefs demonstrates stubbornness, while reconsidering based on new…
- A fool may make money, but a wise man should spend it. — Wealth without prudent use becomes meaningless; wisdom lies in strategic, purposeful spen…
- The morning sun never lasts a day. — Early advantages fade without sustained effort; initial success doesn't guarantee lasting…
- A mother's heart never grows old. — Maternal love remains eternally protective and nurturing regardless of children's age or…
- A good name keeps its lustre in the dark. — Integrity unseen by others still preserves your character's worth and inner value.
- A nimble ninepence is better than a slow shilling. — Quick profit from small ventures outpaces sluggish returns from larger investments.
From our compliments & insults
- Pareces un pulpo en un garaje — You're completely out of place — flailing around uselessly in an environment that makes n…
- Che rompiscatole — What an insufferable pest — someone who endlessly pesters and never lets you be.
- Testa quadrata — A rigid, inflexible blockhead who refuses to see beyond their fixed ideas.