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Origin likely
“Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”
What it means
Small economies accumulate into large ones.
Where it comes from
The advice depends on unforgiving arithmetic. With 240 pence to the pound, small savings compound slowly but reliably, and the proverb is a counsel of patience.
How sure are we?
Attributed to William Lowndes, Secretary to the Treasury under William III, and quoted approvingly by Lord Chesterfield in 1747. Whether Lowndes said it first is uncertain, but he is the earliest name attached.