“But collecting funds was not the only thing to do. In fact I had long learnt the principle of never having more money at one’s disposal than necessary.”
Share this quote
Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: An Autobiography (The Story of My Experiments with Truth), M.K. Gandhi (1927) — narrative passage on fund collection and money.
About this quote
Holding more resources than a task requires quietly invites waste and blurs judgment about what's actually needed. Keeping only what the work calls for forces sharper choices, leaves less to lose track of, and keeps spending honest against real purpose rather than mere availability.
When to use it
- A charity keeps only a month of operating cash on hand and routes surplus donations straight to named projects.
- A freelancer draws just enough of an advance to cover costs and bills the rest on delivery.
- A traveler carries a fixed daily amount of cash rather than the whole trip budget, and overspends far less.