A penny saved is a penny earned

Money that is saved or not spent is as valuable as money that is earned through work; frugality is equivalent to income.

This phrase is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin, though he actually wrote 'a penny saved is twopence dear' in his 1737 Poor Richard's Almanack. The modern version evolved over time, simplifying Franklin's more complex economic observation into a straightforward lesson about the value of thrift.