Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Youth is in danger until it learns to look upon debts as furies.

Talent does what it can; genius does what it must.

It takes as much imagination to create debt as to create income.

If you’re thinking of debt, that’s what you’re going to attract.

Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most.

[Credit is a system whereby] a person who can’t pay, gets another person who can’t pay, to guarantee that he can pay.

There are but two ways of paying debt-increase of industry in raising income, increase of thrift in laying out.

I go on the principle that a public debt is a public curse.

A creditor is worse than a slave-owner; for the master owns only your person, but a creditor owns your dignity, and can command it.

If there is anyone to whom I owe money, I’m prepared to forget it if they are.

Speak not of my debts unless you mean to pay them.

Debt is the slavery of the free.

Debt is such a powerful tool, it is such a useful tool, it’s much better than colonialism ever was because you can keep control without having an army, without having a whole administration.

Promises make debt, and debt makes promises.

Private student loans should be avoided at all costs.

Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience; you will find it a calamity.