It takes money to make money proverb
To generate more money, one must first have some money to put into something.
The stock market is a testament to the saying, 'It takes money to make money.'
One could use this idea in the saying 'It takes money to make money' to keep themselves poor, reasoning that they can never afford to become wealthier than they are now.
The origin of this proverb is not clear.
Children or adults often say this phrase to get their friends to join in something, especially to jump into a swimming pool (pond, lake, etc.)
“Last one in is a rotten egg!” yelled Jane, jumping into the pool.