The ‘Mr. Lowndes’ to whom quot. 1750 attributes this saying was William Lowndes (1652-1724).
Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ‥used to say‥Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.
[1750 Chesterfield Letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500]
Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.
[1912 G. B. Shaw Pygmalion ii. 132]
Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.
[1979 R. Cassilis Arrow of God iv. xvii.]
‘Yes, it sounds on the melodramatic side,’ he said cheerfully, ‘but in wartime you can't be too careful about the smallest detail. Think of it as along the lines of taking care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves.’
[1999 ‘H. Crane’ Miss Seeton's Finest Hour xi. 92]
Related to: money; thrift
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
