Most commonly used money idioms

Useful idioms and phrases about money

List of idioms and phrases related to money

Bring home the bacon

Meaning: To earn money for family; to be successful

Example: I work hard because I have to bring home the bacon.

Buy (something) for a song

Meaning: To buy something for cheaper than normal

Example: I bought this big house just for a song.

Cost an arm and a leg

Meaning: Very expensive; it costs a lot of money

Example: I want to buy new car, but it costs an arm and a leg.

Cut corners

Meaning: To do something quickly and cheaply, leading to cheap quality

Example: Interior decorator cut corners and used cheap material to renovate our house.

Drop in the bucket

Meaning: Very small or unimportant amount

Example: We work hard but company still pays a drop in the bucket.

Dutch treat (Go Dutch)

Meaning: To share the cost of something

Example: This meal is too expensive. Let's go dutch.

Feather one’s nest

Meaning: To make money for oneself in an opportunistic way

Example: He feathered his own nest by blackmailing others.

Feel the pinch

Meaning: To experience financial difficulties

Example: Since the recession started, we all have been feeling the pinch.

Flat broke

Meaning: It means that you have no money at all

Example: Sorry, I can not help you right now. I am flat broke.

Hit the jackpot

Meaning: To make a lot of money suddenly

Example: Jim hit the jackpot when he sold his new business.

In the black

Meaning: Not under debt; profitable business

Example: Our company has made lots of money and is in the black now.

In the chips/money

Meaning: Wealthy; having lots of money

Example: He is in the chips after receiving family inheritance.

In the red

Meaning: To spend more money than what you have

Example: We made zero profit last year, so it was in the red.

Make ends meet

Meaning: To earn just enough money to survive

Example: He worked six days a week to make ends meet.

Midas touch

Meaning: to be very successful in making money

Example: With the Midas touch, his every movie becomes blockbuster.

Money to burn

Meaning: To have extra money to spend lavishly

Example: I can not spend too much on shopping. I have no money to burn.

Pay through the nose

Meaning: To pay more than a fair price

Example: We had to pay through the nose to buy this house.

Penny pincher

Meaning: A person who is unwilling to spend money

Example: John is such a penny pincher, he never takes his wife out for a dinner.