“Time is money”

“Time is money” has become a common catch-cry in this fast-paced world of ours and yet the dictum has ancient origins.

Way back in 430 BC, Antiphon said that “the most costly outlay is the outlay of time” (MAXIM), a theory which was repeated by Theophrastus, circa 320 BC.

Montaigne mentioned the proverb in his Essays, written in 1580 and even the great Benjamin Franklin used it in his 1748 Advice To a Young Tradesman.

It is probable that Dickens’ use of the proverb in his writings, combined with Franklin’s use, is what ensured the survival of the saying. ‘Time is money’ is still a commonly used proverb today.