Crumbs are also bread

Everyone wants a decent amount of the things they desire. But you don’t always get what you want. The Scots, renowned for their thrifty ways, have a saying: Manys a mickle maks a muckle: Many small things make a great thing. The Americans talk of nickel and dime operations with disdain and like to identify with the big and bold.

Reality for many people means small pickings are the only ones going so they have to make the best of them. Some of the largest fortunes have been built by those with low priced products with small margins but selling regularly.

The advice here seems to be to have a little humility and be grateful for what you can get.

He that will thrive must rise at five

There are only so many hours in a day. If you want to get on there is no point in wasting your time luxuriating in bed. If you buzz with energy and activity while your dozy competitors reach for the toast you have a head start. The early bird catches the worm.

If your work goes well because you started early and you see good progress you go to bed with a clear conscience and a sense of entitlement to a good nights rest. You sleep better and awake early, refreshed and ready for the next days challenges.

In the countryside the cock acted as a natural alarm clock and awoke the people early. Now we have alarms of all types so there is no excuse - rise and shine!

On a good bargain think twice

Whitesmoke's free trial Don't let your written English let you down.

It might be impolite to look a gift horse in the mouth but when offered something at a bargain price there is a need for wariness. If it is too good to be true then it probably is.

It is not in the nature of acquisitive humans to give things away - we seem to have a built in instinct to grab and hold. Altruism is to some extent usually self serving, even if it is only to gain the feeling of pleasure in doing someone a good turn.

It follows that when being offered a bargain it is prudent to consider the flaws and pitfalls of acceptance. It might be that someone has an urgent need to dispose and will accept a lower price for the ready money or the object has a flaw or drawback that will soon prove to be the reason for the low price. The classic false bargain is buying a pig in a poke that turns out to be an unwanted kitten.

Caveat emptor - buyer beware is a good and ancient motto.

Good clothes open all doors

This saying will be music to the ears of tailors - and who knows - perhaps one of that ancient trade began it.

Do not judge a book by its cover is another old saying that seems to contradict the first.

What we are learning here seems to be that good presentation will catch the eye and start you off on the right foot. Having impressed someone with your appearance or with a book, drawn a potential reader to take a glance, the inner quality stands a chance of being recognized.

The thing to take away from this is: look smart to get a start then be smart and follow through.

Ready money is soon away

You will have heard people saying: money burns a hole in his pocket, so you are familiar with the idea that it is always a temptation to have ready money available. There are so many tempting opportunities to spend that it is easy to find an excuse to indulge if the cash is easily to hand.

This proneness to temptation means that it is prudent to save for a rainy day by putting your surplus funds to work for you in a savings account or other investment so that you have to put in a bit of time and effort to retrieve them.

Ultimately, money is for spending but there is nothing worse than an urgent, unexpected bill you can't pay, and the tormenting thought that last week you were throwing it away on fripperies.