[Ads-l] Quote Origin: Worry Is Like Paying Interest On a Debt You Don't Owe

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The saying in the subject line is a member of a family of remarks
which is examined in the article located here:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2024/12/20/worry-debt/

The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs has an entry for "Worry is interest
paid on trouble before it is due". The first citation is dated 1909.
Barry Popik has a webpage on this topic with a first citation dated
March 2, 1906.
https://barrypopik.com/blog/worry_is_interest_paid_on_trouble_before_it_falls_due

This notion has been attributed to U.S. humorist Mark Twain and U.K.
minister William Ralph Inge.

Here is an overview with dates, attributions, and phrasings. These
sayings are not equivalent, but I believe they evolved from a single
seed expression:

1905 Nov 25: Harry A. Thompson
Worry--Interest paid on trouble before it falls due

1906 Sep 20: Harry A. Thompson
Worry is the interest paid on trouble before it is due

1920 Sep 02: Anonymous
Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due

1932 Feb 09: Speech delivered by William Ralph Inge
Worry is interest paid on trouble before it falls due

1936 Jun 23: Attributed to Mark Twain
Worry is the interest paid on trouble before it is due

1955 Oct 06: Letter to the Editor from E. A. Bontrager
When you worry you just pay interest on nothing

1961 Oct 19: Attributed to Havelock Ellis
Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due

1980 Apr 30: Anonymous
Worry is like paying interest on a debt you don't owe

1982 Sep 22: Newspaper column of Rusty Hofacket
Worry is interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe

1988 Jun 11: Attributed to Mark Twain
Worry is interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe

1990 Jan 15: Slogan on refrigerator
Worrying is like paying interest on a debt you may never owe

2014 Oct 05: Attributed to Mark Twain
Worrying is like paying a debt you don't owe

Feedback welcome
Garson O'Toole
QuoteInvestigator.com

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