5 truths about money, from a 90-year-old personal finance classic

Many people argue it doesn't matter how much money you make - it's about how much you keep.

And holding on to your cash requires experience, smart habits, and a bit of wisdom: "Without wisdom, gold is quickly lost by those who have it, but with wisdom, gold can be secured by those who have it not," writes George S. Clason in his 1926 personal finance classic "The Richest Man in Babylon," a collection of parables based in the ancient city of Babylon.

In addition to boiling down the "secret" to building wealth in seven steps, Clason reveals the five "laws of gold," which, if mastered, he says can turn any person into a wealthy person. Bear in mind he uses "gold" to refer to money, not actual gold.

Here are Clason's five truths about money, in his words and ours: