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Wilful Waste Makes Woeful Want

A caller in Cooperstown, North Dakota, remembers her West Virginia-born grandmother’s stern warning: Willful waste will lead to woeful want. The more common version, Wilful waste makes woeful want, goes back to the 18th century. Other versions include Waste not, want not and Waste and want; save and have. Another goes Haste makes waste and waste makes want and want makes strife between the good man and his wife. This is part of a complete episode.

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