Idioms are vibrant expressions that add flair and depth to our language, often conveying meanings far beyond the literal words used. When it comes to money, idioms paint a vivid picture of financial situations, attitudes, and behaviors in ways that are both memorable and engaging. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone looking to spice up your financial vocabulary, learning money-related idioms can make conversations about wealth, spending, and saving more colorful and relatable. These phrases are commonly used in everyday speech, from casual chats with friends to business discussions, making them a valuable addition to your linguistic toolkit.
Money-related idioms often reflect cultural attitudes toward wealth, success, and financial struggles, offering insights into how people perceive and manage their finances. They can inspire better financial decisions, highlight the importance of budgeting, or even add humor to conversations about cash flow. In this blog post, you’ll discover 60 popular money idioms, their meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to express them. Plus, we’ve included a fun exercise to help you practice these idioms and make them a natural part of your vocabulary. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of money idioms and explore the riches of language!
Idioms for Money
1. Break the bank
Meaning: To use up all of one’s money or resources, often implying something is too expensive.
In a Sentence: I wanted to buy that luxury car, but it would absolutely break the bank, so I settled for a more affordable model instead.
Other Ways to Say: Cost a fortune, Drain your wallet
2. Cash cow
Meaning: A business or investment that consistently generates a lot of profit.
In a Sentence: My uncle’s small coffee shop turned out to be a real cash cow, bringing in steady income every month without fail.
Other Ways to Say: Money-maker, Goldmine
3. Penny pincher
Meaning: Someone who is extremely frugal and avoids spending money unnecessarily.
In a Sentence: My roommate is such a penny pincher that she reuses tea bags to save a few cents each week.
Other Ways to Say: Tightwad, Frugal person
4. Rags to riches
Meaning: Going from being very poor to extremely wealthy.
In a Sentence: Her incredible story of going from rags to riches after starting her own tech company inspired everyone at the conference.
Other Ways to Say: From nothing to everything, Rise to wealth
5. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Meaning: To be born into a wealthy or privileged family.
In a Sentence: He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so he never had to worry about paying for college or rent.
Other Ways to Say: Born into wealth, Privileged from birth
6. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: Money is not easy to come by and must be earned through hard work.
In a Sentence: My parents always reminded me that money doesn’t grow on trees when I asked for expensive gadgets as a teenager.
Other Ways to Say: Money is hard-earned, Cash isn’t free
7. In the red
Meaning: To be in debt or losing money.
In a Sentence: After overspending on holiday gifts, my bank account was in the red for the first time in years.
Other Ways to Say: In debt, Financially underwater
8. In the black
Meaning: To be financially solvent or profitable.
In a Sentence: After months of hard work, her small bakery was finally in the black and turning a consistent profit.
Other Ways to Say: Profitable, Financially stable
9. Make ends meet
Meaning: To have just enough money to cover expenses.
In a Sentence: Working two jobs just to make ends meet was exhausting, but it kept the bills paid on time every month.
Other Ways to Say: Get by financially, Scrape by
10. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Something extremely expensive.
In a Sentence: The designer dress she wanted for prom cost an arm and a leg, so she opted for a thrift store find instead.
Other Ways to Say: Super pricey, Costs a fortune
11. Pay through the nose
Meaning: To pay an excessively high price for something.
In a Sentence: I had to pay through the nose for last-minute concert tickets, but seeing my favorite band live was worth it.
Other Ways to Say: Pay a premium, Shell out a lot
12. Money talks
Meaning: Money can influence decisions or people.
In a Sentence: In the world of politics, money talks, and those with deep pockets often get their voices heard first.
Other Ways to Say: Cash is power, Money rules
13. A dime a dozen
Meaning: Something very common and of little value.
In a Sentence: Basic phone chargers are a dime a dozen these days, so there’s no need to spend a lot on one.
Other Ways to Say: Common as dirt, Cheap and plentiful
14. Burn a hole in your pocket
Meaning: Money that you are eager to spend quickly.
In a Sentence: The bonus I got from work was burning a hole in my pocket, so I treated myself to a new laptop.
Other Ways to Say: Itching to spend, Can’t wait to spend
15. Tighten your belt
Meaning: To reduce spending and live more frugally.
In a Sentence: After losing my part-time job, I had to tighten my belt and cut back on eating out every week.
Other Ways to Say: Cut back, Live frugally
16. Bring home the bacon
Meaning: To earn money, especially for a family.
In a Sentence: My dad works long hours to bring home the bacon and keep our household running smoothly.
Other Ways to Say: Earn a living, Make money
17. Bet your bottom dollar
Meaning: To be absolutely certain about something.
In a Sentence: You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be at the concert if my favorite band is performing.
Other Ways to Say: Be certain, Absolutely sure
18. Cut corners
Meaning: To save money by reducing quality or effort.
In a Sentence: The contractor cut corners on the house renovation, and now we’re dealing with leaky pipes.
Other Ways to Say: Skimp, Take shortcuts
19. Foot the bill
Meaning: To pay for something, often unwillingly.
In a Sentence: My parents had to foot the bill for my phone repairs after I dropped it in the pool.
Other Ways to Say: Pay the cost, Cover the expenses
20. Money for old rope
Meaning: Money earned easily for little effort.
In a Sentence: Selling my old clothes online felt like money for old rope since they were just sitting in my closet.
Other Ways to Say: Easy money, Quick cash
21. Pinch pennies
Meaning: To be extremely careful with money.
In a Sentence: During college, I had to pinch pennies by buying used textbooks and cooking at home.
Other Ways to Say: Be thrifty, Save every cent
22. Live paycheck to paycheck
Meaning: To spend all your income as soon as you get it.
In a Sentence: With rent and bills piling up, I was living paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t save a dime.
Other Ways to Say: Barely get by, Spend it all
23. Rolling in dough
Meaning: To be very wealthy.
In a Sentence: After her app went viral, she was rolling in dough and could afford anything she wanted.
Other Ways to Say: Filthy rich, Loaded
24. A pretty penny
Meaning: A large amount of money.
In a Sentence: That vintage car in the showroom costs a pretty penny, but it’s a collector’s dream.
Other Ways to Say: A lot of money, A fortune
25. Put your money where your mouth is
Meaning: To back up your words with action or investment.
In a Sentence: If you think this idea will work, put your money where your mouth is and invest in it.
Other Ways to Say: Back it up, Prove it with cash
26. Money to burn
Meaning: Having so much money that you can spend it recklessly.
In a Sentence: After winning the lottery, he had money to burn and bought a yacht on a whim.
Other Ways to Say: Cash to spare, Endless funds
27. On a shoestring
Meaning: Operating with a very small budget.
In a Sentence: We started our small business on a shoestring, using secondhand equipment to save costs.
Other Ways to Say: Low budget, Bare-bones finances
28. Greasing the wheels
Meaning: Using money to make things happen smoothly.
In a Sentence: A small donation was enough for greasing the wheels and getting the event approved quickly.
Other Ways to Say: Bribe lightly, Smooth the process
29. Cash on the barrelhead
Meaning: Immediate payment in cash.
In a Sentence: The mechanic demanded cash on the barrelhead before he’d start fixing my car.
Other Ways to Say: Pay upfront, Cash in hand
30. Rob Peter to pay Paul
Meaning: To solve one financial problem by creating another.
In a Sentence: I had to rob Peter to pay Paul by using my credit card to cover the rent this month.
Other Ways to Say: Shift debt around, Juggle finances
31. Penny wise, pound foolish
Meaning: Being frugal with small amounts but wasteful with larger ones.
In a Sentence: Buying cheap shoes to save money was penny wise, pound foolish when they wore out in a month.
Other Ways to Say: Short-sighted savings, Frugal but wasteful
32. Throw money at the problem
Meaning: To try solving a problem by spending money rather than addressing the root cause.
In a Sentence: Instead of fixing the old car, they kept throwing money at the problem with temporary repairs.
Other Ways to Say: Spend to fix, Waste money on a bad solution
33. Time is money
Meaning: Time is valuable and should not be wasted.
In a Sentence: Let’s finish this meeting quickly because, as they say, time is money, and we have work to do.
Other Ways to Say: Time is valuable, Don’t waste time
34. A fool and his money are soon parted
Meaning: Someone who spends money recklessly will lose it quickly.
In a Sentence: He bought three sports cars in a year, proving a fool and his money are soon parted.
Other Ways to Say: Waste money fast, Spend foolishly
35. Money burns a hole in your wallet
Meaning: The urge to spend money as soon as you have it.
In a Sentence: That cash prize was burning a hole in my wallet, so I splurged on a new phone.
Other Ways to Say: Eager to spend, Can’t hold onto cash
36. Cheap as chips
Meaning: Something very inexpensive.
In a Sentence: The street food market had meals that were cheap as chips but absolutely delicious.
Other Ways to Say: Dirt cheap, Super affordable
37. Pay peanuts, get monkeys
Meaning: If you pay low wages, you’ll get low-quality work.
In a Sentence: The company paid peanuts and got monkeys, so the project was full of errors.
Other Ways to Say: Low pay, low quality; Skimp on wages
38. Golden handshake
Meaning: A large payment given to someone leaving a job.
In a Sentence: After retiring, the CEO received a golden handshake worth millions from the company.
Other Ways to Say: Big severance, Generous payout
39. Cash in hand
Meaning: Immediate payment, usually in cash.
In a Sentence: The seller insisted on cash in hand before handing over the keys to the used car.
Other Ways to Say: Pay upfront, Immediate cash
40. Make a quick buck
Meaning: To earn money quickly, often with little effort.
In a Sentence: He tried to make a quick buck by reselling concert tickets at a higher price online.
Other Ways to Say: Earn fast cash, Quick profit
41. Go for broke
Meaning: To risk everything for a big reward.
In a Sentence: She went for broke and invested all her savings in her startup, hoping for success.
Other Ways to Say: Risk it all, All or nothing
42. Flat broke
Meaning: Completely out of money.
In a Sentence: After paying for car repairs, I was flat broke and couldn’t even afford a coffee.
Other Ways to Say: Penniless, Totally broke
43. Nest egg
Meaning: Money saved for the future.
In a Sentence: She’s been putting money into her nest egg every month to prepare for retirement.
Other Ways to Say: Savings, Rainy day fund
44. Cook the books
Meaning: To falsify financial records.
In a Sentence: The accountant was caught trying to cook the books to hide the company’s losses.
Other Ways to Say: Fudge the numbers, Manipulate accounts
45. Cash-strapped
Meaning: Lacking money or financial resources.
In a Sentence: The cash-strapped nonprofit had to cancel its annual fundraiser this year.
Other Ways to Say: Broke, Short on funds
46. Money down the drain
Meaning: Money wasted on something useless.
In a Sentence: Spending thousands on that broken-down car was like pouring money down the drain.
Other Ways to Say: Wasted cash, Thrown away money
47. Play the market
Meaning: To invest in the stock market, often speculatively.
In a Sentence: He spent years playing the market and made a fortune by investing wisely.
Other Ways to Say: Trade stocks, Speculate financially
48. Bread and butter
Meaning: A reliable source of income.
In a Sentence: Freelancing is fun, but my office job is my bread and butter to pay the bills.
Other Ways to Say: Main income, Steady earnings
49. Born on easy street
Meaning: To be born into a life of wealth and comfort.
In a Sentence: She was born on easy street, never worrying about money thanks to her family’s wealth.
Other Ways to Say: Born wealthy, Privileged life
50. Daylight robbery
Meaning: Something outrageously overpriced.
In a Sentence: Charging $20 for a small coffee at the airport is nothing short of daylight robbery.
Other Ways to Say: Rip-off, Overpriced
51. Nickel and dime
Meaning: To charge small amounts repeatedly, adding up to a lot.
In a Sentence: The subscription service nickels and dimes you with extra fees until it’s no longer cheap.
Other Ways to Say: Small charges add up, Hidden fees
52. Two cents’ worth
Meaning: Offering your opinion, often unsolicited.
In a Sentence: I’ll give you my two cents’ worth: save your money instead of buying that gadget.
Other Ways to Say: My opinion, My take
53. Pay dirt
Meaning: To find something valuable or profitable.
In a Sentence: After years of small gigs, her new business idea finally hit pay dirt and took off.
Other Ways to Say: Strike gold, Find success
54. Shell out
Meaning: To spend a lot of money, often reluctantly.
In a Sentence: I had to shell out a fortune to replace my broken phone before the trip.
Other Ways to Say: Pay a lot, Fork over
55. Take the money and run
Meaning: To take advantage of a financial opportunity and leave quickly.
In a Sentence: He sold his shares at their peak and took the money and ran before the market crashed.
Other Ways to Say: Cash out fast, Grab the profit
56. Worth its weight in gold
Meaning: Something extremely valuable or useful.
In a Sentence: Her financial advice was worth its weight in gold and saved me from a bad investment.
Other Ways to Say: Priceless, Extremely valuable
57. Golden opportunity
Meaning: A rare chance to achieve or gain something valuable.
In a Sentence: The job offer was a golden opportunity to work for a company I’d always admired.
Other Ways to Say: Rare chance, Perfect opportunity
58. Rainy day fund
Meaning: Money saved for unexpected needs or emergencies.
In a Sentence: I dipped into my rainy day fund to cover the cost of fixing my car’s flat tire.
Other Ways to Say: Emergency savings, Backup funds
59. Bottom line
Meaning: The final result or most important aspect, often financial.
In a Sentence: The bottom line is that we need to cut costs if we want the business to survive.
Other Ways to Say: Final outcome, Key point
60. Strike it rich
Meaning: To suddenly become very wealthy.
In a Sentence: He struck it rich when his small startup was bought by a major tech company overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Hit the jackpot, Make a fortune
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct money idiom:
- After losing his job, he had to _______ his belt to afford rent and groceries.
- That new phone cost _______, but I couldn’t resist its features.
- Her side hustle turned out to be a real _______, bringing in thousands each month.
- I was _______ after paying for my car repairs and couldn’t afford to go out.
- The company was _______ after overspending on a failed marketing campaign.
- Selling old furniture online felt like _______ because it was so easy.
- My parents always said _______ when I asked for expensive toys as a kid.
- The CEO received a _______ when she retired after 20 years with the company.
- We started our project _______, using only free tools and borrowed equipment.
- His advice on investing was _______ and helped me double my savings.
- Charging $50 for a basic haircut is _______ in this economy!
- She _______ when her novel became a bestseller overnight.
Answers:
tighten, an arm and a leg, cash cow, flat broke, in the red, money for old rope, money doesn’t grow on trees, golden handshake, on a shoestring, worth its weight in gold, daylight robbery, struck it rich
Conclusion
Money idioms add a splash of color and humor to conversations about finances, making it easier to express complex ideas about wealth, spending, and saving. By incorporating these 60 idioms into your vocabulary, you can communicate more effectively and bring a bit of flair to discussions about money, whether you’re chatting with friends, negotiating a deal, or planning your budget.
Practice these idioms in real-life scenarios—at work, with family, or even when talking about your financial goals. Over time, they’ll become second nature, enriching your language and making your conversations more engaging. Money may not buy happiness, but mastering these idioms will certainly make talking about it a lot more fun!