“Some people are so poor, all they have is money” is a popular saying that has been printed on many posters. The saying means that some people, despite having money, are spiritually poor.
 
Authorship is unknown. “Some Christians are so poor all they have is money!” was cited in the book For All Seasons (1985) by Derick Bingham. The saying has been frequently (since 2012) credited to Patrick Meagher, co-author of Devolution and Development: Governance Prospects in Decentralizing States (2004), and to Chicago author Maureen Gill, whose first novel was January Moon (2010), but neither is likely to have originated the saying.
 
     
Google Books
For All Seasons
By Derick Bingham
Belfast : Ambassador Prod.
1985
Pg. 23:
‘Why’, said a friend of mine from County Armagh as she and her husband set off to serve the Lord in France after selling up home and hearth, ‘Some Christians are so poor all they have is money!’ I know what she meant.
 
Google Books
A Voice Full of Money:
The Parable of “The Great Gatsby”: A Warning Against Moral Drift
By Derick Bingham
Greenville, SC: Ambassador-Emerald International
2001
Pg. 5:
Some people in this world are so poor, all they have is money.
   
Google Groups: soc.culture.german
German Culture
Guillermo Arce
6/7/01
I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU.
As a Mexican, leaving quite close to this guys, i can’t say it in a better way, they are soooooooo poor that the onlything that they have is money.
 
Google Groups: alt.music.dave-matthews
nDMBc - New Year’s Resolutions
Court
12/28/01
(...)
“Some people are so poor that the only thing they have is money.”
 
Google Groups: alt.smokers.pipes
A Million thanks
Juan in Andalucía
10/18/04
(...)
And Terry, as my father used to say: “There are people so poor, that the only thing they have is money”
   
Twitter
B.J. Jansen
‏@BJJansen
“Some people are so poor, all they have is money” ~ Maureen Gill
8:49 AM - 26 Jun 2012
 
Twitter
Kiera Price
‏@PlanetKee
Some people are so poor, all they have is money. ― Patrick Meagher
10:18 PM - 13 Oct 2012
 
Google Books
Living the Thai Life…in Quotes
By Tony Crossley
BooksMango.com
2013
Pg. 125:
“Some people are so poor that all they have is money.” ~Patrick Meagher
   
The Ellsworth American (Ellsworth, ME)
Memories of childhood crushes burn bright
February 6, 2015 by Jacqueline Weaver
(...)
“Some people are so poor all they have is money,” Klair recites from a quote attributed to Patrick Meagher.