For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
We've all had the experience of skipping some routine expense to save a bit of cash, and then everything being ruined - at a much greater cost. The poverty trap could be defined as not being able to scrape together a penny in order to save a pound. And this is a dilemma I grapple with all the time.
