What Does Robbing Peter to Pay Paul Mean? Could be this...
Although legend has it that this expression alludes to appropriating the estates of St. Peter's Church, in Westminster, London, to pay for the repairs of St. Paul's Cathedral in the 1800s, the saying first appeared in a work by John Wycliffe about 1382.?
Or is this the origin of Robbing Peter to Pay Paul?
This expression has existed since at least the 1300s. Its exact origin is unclear, but we do have some early sources for it. The names involved appear to be biblical references. Both Peter and Paul were disciples of Jesus in the New Testament.
One of the first uses of the
phrase was in 1340 by John Wycliffe:
·
How should God approve that you rob Peter and give this robbery
to Paul in the name of Christ?
A fun origin story that
doesn’t exactly mesh with the facts is that of St. Peter and St. Paul’s
cathedral.
As the story goes, St.
Peter’s was made into a cathedral in 1540, but just 10 years later it was
joined to the diocese of London. As a result, many of its estates were
responsible to pay for the repairs of St. Paul’s cathedral.
In other words, St. Peter’s
was being robbed to pay for St. Paul’s.
As fitting as this story
might be, it must be a happy coincidence because the expression was around a
few hundred years before this event took place.
So basically, no one knows the true origin, but everyone knows what it means.
I digress, this is how I do my banking. I am a Peter Paul addict. I have plans for the month of what we need to get, and I have it all written down. Halfway during the month, I start moving something out of one pile I really don't need to get. By the end of the month - lol - I start the next list with the same things extra I needed on the last list!! Sometimes however, that gives me time to think about if I really needed it in the first place.
I do like to buy, and I love my Amazon, but we do have a budget and I try to stick on it, but it is hard. Especially when eggs used to be a $1 and now, they are $4.50 at Publix. No, I don't buy them there, but the prices are getting ridiculous. Everything has gone up - everywhere.
Okay enough venting. I know it is that way for everyone these days. I just wonder if we have any real control over our own lives anymore.
Love, Chatty
18 comments:
Happy Birthday to your hubby. I spent my 19 years with my parents in the rob Peter Pay Paul and dove into life doing the same thing. to me it was more like juggling which bills could be paid and when, not remvoing things from the list. I knew the amount i had and made the list to fit the dollars.
My cousin at one time said she was doing it which meant she had so many charge cards she was using one to pay the other and jubbling bills until she could not do that any more and ended up bankrupt. Bills always came first which meant for all my life until the last 20 years I only paid bills and food and lived paycheck to paycheck
I'm not sure what that saying really means.....but I don't think it's good to accumulate bad or dirty money to pay for something else that's good and wonderful. Happy Birthday to your dear husband - wow, 76, that's awesome! I love the "care" quote. It's so true, isn't it? Yea, eggs and milk and butter have gone up so much. I remember when my mom would get the milk bottles delivered to her door. Oh my, things have changed.
Have a great week, Sandie.
ps.....have you bought anything on Amazon lately? I bought Francesca a little music box. Have you started Christmas shopping yet?
Yes we have juggled money a few times.. Thanks for the history lesson. We have heard that statement all our lives, these are the first 'explanations' of any kind I have read.
Thanks for the mind exercise.
Happy delayed birthday to Hubby.
Love you guys
Sherry & jack smiling in the sunshine...
PS: Oh yes, I definitely order from AMAzon. I got both Sherry's present from Mr/Mrs Amazon. LOL
I love your open doorway picture. The turquoise pots really stand out. Beautiful!
Happy Birthday to your hubs! 🎁 That is something to celebrate.
I am going to Aldi tomorrow. I wonder how much their eggs are. They are usually much less expensive. We'll see. I have a couple friends who raise chickens for their eggs. Makes sense these days!
Happy Birthday to your husband, that looks like an awesome feast he had! I never did like or understand the Peter/Paul thing! It's always so good to see your posts!
But what happened to Mary?
In my younger years we did just that but not now thankfully.
Happ birthday to your husband he sure looks happy.
Cathy
I'll take your hugs!! Yes, I live that Peter/Paul lifestyle too. Sigh.
Many happy birthday wishes to your hubs.
I love the big red hugs spinning around :)
All the best Jan
Happy birthday to your husband! That was interesting to read about robbing Peter to pay Paul and how it might have come about. Amazon is just too easy to shop from. I did in July say "no Amazon month" and only did buy a couple things we absolutely needed. I should cancel Prime and then it wouldn't be so tempting. Grandson, at age 6, knows how to maneuver his way around the Amazon site. That is kind of scary!
betty
I know what you mean! I am thinking about budgets and staying in them and how to spend less and use more of what we already have. You and I are on the same wave length!
Happy 76th to your hubby! Mine is turning 75 on the 20th. I have used that saying many times but had no idea where it came from:0 Enjoy your day dear friend, HUGS!
Thanks for the information today. I too have used that team many times and very often have trouble balancing the budget . I do have all I need and more and am thankful I have what I have, but sometimes by the end of the month the budget is so tight it squeaks ! Happy Birthday to your hubby!
What a fascinating backstory about that old saying! Funny, isn't it how we get used to saying things without thought to their origins? Just this morning I had to Google "a stitch in time saves 9" for tomorrow's Hodgepodge.
It's reassuring to see this (and others' comments) and realize most of us are in the same boat.
Your hubby's birthday dinner looks wonderful; please wish him a "Happy New Year"!
I have to admit that I have done the Robbing from Peter to pay Paul. It sure can get one into trouble.
Happy Birthday to your dear Hubby. Great photo of him.
Went to the store yesterday and was shocked to see that 1 pound of butter was $5.00 and eggs were about the same thing at Walmart.
Couldn't find red onions and produce has gone through the roof too...CA is guilty of price gouging for sure.
Sue
Those are some interesting facts you shared. Mark pays all of our bills. I like to spend money too. I have some money of my own that I didn't share with Mark so I don't get in trouble. Honestly what do I need. You now what it is like to move and have to get rid of things. However, sometimes I just can't resist.
Happy Birthday to your husband!!!!
I often rob one of my bank accounts, but pretty soon thereafter, pay it back out of funds from my other bank account! I guess that's the same! lol
Thanks for the kind comments on my blog.
The dr. really didn't want to do both eyes on Dave but that's what he wanted and she said sure she could do it. Our Keizer insurance and medicare will cover the bulk of it. Dave's eyes feel a bit scratchy this morning.He can use Refresh solution to help with that plus his 2 drops for healing. He has to wear clear lens "goggles" for sleeping for 2 weeks to protect the eyes. No shield except for sunglasses or his prescription glasses during the day. Dave is happy to have everything all done and to not go through the process again.
to answer your question..my birthday was November 4th. I turned 79..I really can't believe that's my age..CRAZY...
Sue
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