# Don't Endorse Without Security explained — The Art of Money Getting

> Chapter companion for The Art of Money Getting by P. T. Barnum.

## What happens

This chapter warns against endorsing notes or becoming security for others without taking proper security, illustrating how easy access to credit can lead to ruinous speculation and financial loss for both the borrower and the endorser.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Dangers of Debt and True Economy

The chapter focuses on the perils of endorsing notes without security, showing how easy credit leads to speculation and financial ruin.

### Honesty and Integrity

The endorser's misplaced trust and the friend's lack of transparency about losses highlight the importance of integrity in financial dealings.

## Character check-ins

### Solomon

Quoted for the proverb 'he that hateth suretiship is sure.'

## Key lines

> I hold that no man ought ever to endorse a note or become security, for any man, be it his father or brother, to a greater extent than he can afford to lose and care nothing about, without taking good security.

No one should guarantee a loan for anyone, even a close relative, beyond what they can afford to lose, unless they have solid collateral.

_This is the central principle of the chapter._

> Solomon truly said, 'he that hateth suretiship is sure.'

As Solomon wisely stated, the person who avoids acting as a guarantor is safe.

_Biblical support for the warning against endorsing notes._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_art_of_money_getting_se/chapters/don-t-endorse-without-security
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_art_of_money_getting_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_art_of_money_getting_se/chapters