The Art of Money Getting

Making money is one challenge. Keeping it is another. In The Art of Money Getting, celebrated showman P. T. Barnum shares his principles for approaching both, offering direct advice on work, business, and the habits he believed essential to financial success.

Drawing on experience and anecdote, Barnum considers the importance of choosing an occupation suited to your abilities, persevering through setbacks, and understanding the business you undertake. He champions thrift without confusing it with stinginess, warns against debt, and emphasizes the value of integrity and a good reputation. Throughout, he connects financial progress with practical decisions about how people use their time, energy, and resources.

Advertising also has a prominent place in his advice. As a master of publicity, Barnum understood that a worthwhile enterprise needs public attention. His observations bring the perspective of a promoter to the everyday concerns of attracting customers, building trust, and giving people a reason to return.

First published in 1880 and also known as The Art of Money Getting; or, Golden Rules for Making Money, this concise work reflects the confidence and commercial ambition of nineteenth-century America. Its examples and assumptions belong to that era, while its arguments about initiative, discipline, and responsible spending invite readers to consider which principles still hold value.

For readers interested in classic business writing, personal finance, or the thinking of one of America's most famous showmen, The Art of Money Getting offers an engaging encounter with Barnum's practical philosophy: pursue your work with purpose, make your enterprise known, and pay attention to what happens to the money you earn.