Book Review – The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason

I was around 15 when I first came across The Richest Man in Babylon. I was a spoilt little girl who had everything back then so I didn’t appreciate the lessons in the book.

When I picked it up again recently, I read it with a more mature mind and though the book is over 50 years old, the information and lessons still remain valid.

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason started out as a series of pamphlets in 1926 and developed into a book in 1927.

It’s written in parable format and set in the city of Babylon. The book is written in old English style, which isn’t for everybody but the point here is the message.

The Richest Man in Babylon advocates that money is plentiful for those who understand the rules regarding its acquisition.

In particular, I found the story of Seven Cures for a Lean Purse quite compelling: –

7 Cures for a Lean Purse – The Richest Man in Babylon

Cure 1: Start thy Purse to Fattening

Reserve one-tenth of what you make for yourself. This is very straightforward and should be a target for every penny you earn.

This is a theme across quite a few personal finance books out there as well. David Bach refers to it as, “Pay yourself first.”

Cure 2: Control Thy Expenditures

Don’t waste your money on nonsense that won’t add value to you in the long run.

Carlson urges us “confuse not the necessary expenses with the desires” and restrict yourself to living on only nine-tenths of your income.

Even if you have more money than you need, you should still control how you spend it and stay true to purse fattening.

Cure 3: Make Thy Gold Multiply

As one learns to control expenses and the purse begins to fatten, the next thing to consider is making the money work for you and grow.

Don’t just have it sitting in an account doing nothing. Consider high yield savings accounts or low-risk investments.

Cure 4: Guard Thy Treasure from Loss

Carlson advises guarding the gold in your purse with firmness. Put the money in sound investments and not risky get rich quick ideas.

Carlson says, “guard they treasure from loss by investing only where the principal is safe, where it may be reclaimed if desirable, and where thou will not fail to collect a fair rental…”

Cure 5: Make of Thy Dwelling a Profitable Investment

You should own your home instead of renting and fattening the purses of landlords.

This was one lesson my parents taught me, which I have still not been able to make happen but I’m working my way towards it.

Related Content: Book Review – The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Cure 6: Ensure a Future Income

7 cures for a lean purse. Advice that has stood the test of time

Put a retirement plan in place for your future and/or your family’s future and in the unfortunate event of your passing.

A retirement plan was one of the first things I set up when I started working and it’s still growing strong till today.

Cure 7: Increase Thy Ability to Earn

Develop yourself and your abilities, learn all you can and position yourself to earn all that you can in your lifetime.

After the 7 cures, George Carlson also tells the tale of the five laws of gold.

These laws focus on savings, returns, caution in investing, seeking professional investment advice, and patience.

The rest of the book is interspersed with several tales, explaining the basic principles of managing your finances.

The message in The Richest Man in Babylon has been echoed over the years and proves that the basic rules of managing money have been in place for centuries and don’t really change.

If you’re in the early stages of learning how to manage your finances, this is a good one for you. 

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