Quotes from Chuck Feeney

I'm a shabby dresser.

There are restaurants you can go in and pay $100 a person for a meal. I get as much satisfaction out of paying $25.

I suppose in the back of my mind I was always one of those guys who had a disdain for money. It had a value if you wanted to buy something, but if you didn't want to buy something, you didn't need it.

I watched a little girl cover her face up and leave her hands in front of her mouth. I saw that girl after surgery, and she was smiling... that's a great source of satisfaction.

I cannot think of a more personally rewarding and appropriate use of wealth than to give while one is living.

I had one idea that never changed in my mind - that you should use your wealth to help people.

When you are 81 years old, you don't really need a lot of the trappings of wealth.

I'd be the last guy to tell a wealthy person what to do with their money. They're entitled to do whatever they want.

A lot of wealthy people, they don't realize they have the alternatives of spending the money for good.

It is logical for a U.S. person to give their money away while they are alive, as the government will take it from you when you die in taxes.

There has to be a balance in life. A balance of business, family, and the opportunity to learn and teach.

I was raised as a Catholic, but I got up to go to church because I thought I'd be hit by a bolt of lightning if I didn't.

People who have money have an obligation. I wouldn't say I'm entitled to tell them what to do with it but to use it wisely.

I became convinced that there was greater satisfaction from giving my money away and seeing something come out of the ground, like a hospital or a university.

I believe strongly in 'giving while living.' I see little reason to delay giving when so much good can be achieved through supporting worthwhile causes today. Besides, it's a lot more fun to give while you live than to give while you are dead.

I happen to enjoy grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches.

I believe that people of substantial wealth potentially create problems for future generations unless they themselves accept responsibility to use their wealth during their lifetime to help worthwhile causes.

I want the last cheque I write to bounce.

It's the intelligent thing to be frugal.

I always tried to live my life as though nothing changed. People would say, 'You can have a Rolls-Royce'. I'd say to that, 'What do I want with a Rolls-Royce when I can have a Volkswagen or a bike?' Some people get carried away with the juice.

How to become a millionaire? Become a billionaire first.

I'm a competitive type of person, whether it's playing a game of basketball or playing business games.

People used to ask me how I got my jollies, and I guess I'm happy when what I'm doing is helping people and unhappy when what I'm doing isn't helping people.

I was with a special services unit in the Korean war, and when I got out, the biggest thing I got was a GI scholarship.