Money is something we use every day. We buy food, clothes, toys, and more with it. People also talk about money a lot. But sometimes, they don’t just say “money.” They use special phrases that mean something about money. These phrases are called idioms.
Idioms are fun and interesting. They don’t always mean what the words say. For example, if someone says “money doesn’t grow on trees,” they don’t really mean it does. They mean you shouldn’t waste money. In this article, we’ll learn many idioms about money. These will help you understand what people mean when they talk in a different way. Let’s get started and learn some new phrases!
Idioms for Money
1. Break the bank
Meaning: Cost too much money
Give an Instance: That toy car looks cool, but it might break the bank. / Eating out every day can break the bank.
Substitute Meaning: Be too expensive / Cost too much
2. Money talks
Meaning: Money has power or can make things happen
Give an Instance: He got the best seat because money talks. / She got her way fast money talks.
Substitute Meaning: Money can change things / People listen to money
3. Born with a silver spoon
Meaning: Born into a rich family
Give an Instance: He never worries about bills. He was born with a silver spoon. / She goes to fancy camps silver spoon life.
Substitute Meaning: Comes from money / Has a rich family
4. A penny saved is a penny earned
Meaning: Saving money is like making money
Give an Instance: I packed lunch to save money. A penny saved is a penny earned. / Don’t waste coins save them!
Substitute Meaning: Saving helps / Don’t waste money
5. Cash cow
Meaning: A thing that brings in a lot of money
Give an Instance: That lemonade stand is a cash cow! / Their t-shirt shop is a real cash cow.
Substitute Meaning: Big money maker / Brings in cash
6. Make ends meet
Meaning: Have just enough money to live
Give an Instance: We cut back to make ends meet. / Mom works two jobs to make ends meet.
Substitute Meaning: Have just enough / Get by with money
7. In the red
Meaning: Owe more money than you have
Give an Instance: After buying that game, I’m in the red. / They’re in the red after the trip.
Substitute Meaning: Out of money / Owe money
8. In the black
Meaning: Have more money than you owe
Give an Instance: After saving up, I’m finally in the black! / Their store is now in the black.
Substitute Meaning: Doing well with money / Earning more than spending
9. Tighten your belt
Meaning: Spend less money
Give an Instance: We’re tightening our belts until payday. / Time to tighten our belts no extras.
Substitute Meaning: Cut spending / Save more
10. Nest egg
Meaning: Money saved for later
Give an Instance: I have a small nest egg for college. / Dad has a nest egg for emergencies.
Substitute Meaning: Saved money / Extra money for later
11. Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay too much for something
Give an Instance: We paid through the nose for that concert. / She paid through the nose for those shoes.
Substitute Meaning: Paid a lot / Cost too much
12. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: Money is not easy to get
Give an Instance: Don’t waste it money doesn’t grow on trees. / I said no to new shoes; money doesn’t grow on trees.
Substitute Meaning: Be careful with money / Don’t waste
13. Rags to riches
Meaning: Go from being poor to rich
Give an Instance: He went from rags to riches with his book. / Her grandma’s story is rags to riches.
Substitute Meaning: From poor to rich / Big success
14. Throw money down the drain
Meaning: Waste money
Give an Instance: That broken toy was money down the drain. / Don’t throw money down the drain on junk food.
Substitute Meaning: Waste cash / Use money badly
15. Time is money
Meaning: Time is valuable like money
Give an Instance: Don’t waste time time is money. / We worked fast because time is money.
Substitute Meaning: Time matters / Time is important
16. Rolling in dough
Meaning: Have a lot of money
Give an Instance: After selling her art, she’s rolling in dough! / He must be rolling in dough to buy that bike.
Substitute Meaning: Very rich / Has lots of cash
17. Foot the bill
Meaning: Pay the total cost
Give an Instance: Dad had to foot the bill for dinner. / Who’s going to foot the bill for this trip?
Substitute Meaning: Pay it all / Cover the cost
18. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive
Give an Instance: That dress cost an arm and a leg! / This toy costs an arm and a leg online.
Substitute Meaning: Super pricey / Very costly
19. Money to burn
Meaning: Extra money with no worries
Give an Instance: He has money to burn with all those snacks. / She acts like she’s got money to burn.
Substitute Meaning: Lots of cash / Extra money
20. Bring home the bacon
Meaning: Earn money for the family
Give an Instance: Mom brings home the bacon every week. / Dad works hard to bring home the bacon.
Substitute Meaning: Earn for the family / Make a living
21. Make a killing
Meaning: Make a lot of money fast
Give an Instance: They made a killing at their bake sale! / That app made a killing online.
Substitute Meaning: Big money win / Huge profit
22. Bet your bottom dollar
Meaning: Be very sure
Give an Instance: I bet my bottom dollar she’ll win. / You can bet your bottom dollar it’ll rain.
Substitute Meaning: Totally sure / Very certain
23. Worth a fortune
Meaning: Very valuable
Give an Instance: That painting is worth a fortune. / Her rare card is worth a fortune now.
Substitute Meaning: Very pricey / Costs a lot
24. Rainy day fund
Meaning: Money saved for emergencies
Give an Instance: I keep $20 as a rainy day fund. / Dad saved money for a rainy day.
Substitute Meaning: Backup cash / Emergency savings
25. For a song
Meaning: Very cheap
Give an Instance: I got this book for a song! / Those games were on sale for a song.
Substitute Meaning: Cheap / Low price
26. Pick up the tab
Meaning: Pay for everyone
Give an Instance: Uncle picked up the tab at lunch. / I’ll pick up the tab this time.
Substitute Meaning: Pay the check / Cover it
27. Down payment
Meaning: First small payment for something big
Give an Instance: We made a down payment on the bike. / A house needs a down payment first.
Substitute Meaning: First money / Beginning payment
28. Cut corners
Meaning: Spend less by skipping steps
Give an Instance: Don’t cut corners with your project. / He cut corners and the toy broke.
Substitute Meaning: Skip steps / Do less to save
29. Keep the change
Meaning: Don’t give back the extra money
Give an Instance: I gave $5 and told the clerk to keep the change. / “Keep the change,” said Dad at the diner.
Substitute Meaning: Extra tip / No need for coins back
30. Get your money’s worth
Meaning: Something is worth what you paid
Give an Instance: This game is so fun I got my money’s worth! / That toy lasted all year we got our money’s worth.
Substitute Meaning: Good value / Worth the cost
31. Live paycheck to paycheck
Meaning: Spend all money before the next payday
Give an Instance: Some families live paycheck to paycheck. / We have to be careful we live paycheck to paycheck.
Substitute Meaning: No savings / Just enough to get by
32. Drop a dime
Meaning: Tell the truth, often to police
Give an Instance: Someone dropped a dime about the fight. / The kid dropped a dime on the bully.
Substitute Meaning: Told on someone / Gave info
33. Cold hard cash
Meaning: Physical money (coins or bills)
Give an Instance: I paid in cold hard cash. / He wants cold hard cash, not a gift card.
Substitute Meaning: Real money / Bills and coins
34. In the money
Meaning: Have lots of money now
Give an Instance: After the contest, we’re in the money! / She’s in the money with her new job.
Substitute Meaning: Got rich / Doing well
35. Pay off
Meaning: Finish paying something
Give an Instance: I paid off my new bike today! / We paid off our loan last month.
Substitute Meaning: Done paying / Fully paid
36. Cut a check
Meaning: Write a check to pay
Give an Instance: Mom cut a check for school fees. / I cut a check for the donation.
Substitute Meaning: Write a check / Pay with paper
37. Skating on thin ice
Meaning: At risk of money trouble
Give an Instance: I’m skating on thin ice with my spending. / She’s on thin ice with that loan.
Substitute Meaning: In money danger / Risky spending
38. Put your money where your mouth is
Meaning: Prove what you say by spending money
Give an Instance: He said he loves animals then donated. Put your money where your mouth is! / If you care, help out.
Substitute Meaning: Prove it / Back up words with money
39. Line your pockets
Meaning: Make money, often selfishly
Give an Instance: That company lines its pockets with our money. / He lined his pockets at the fair.
Substitute Meaning: Take cash / Fill with money
40. Easy money
Meaning: Money made with little effort
Give an Instance: That job was easy money. / Babysitting my brother is easy money.
Substitute Meaning: Quick pay / Simple cash
41. Deep pockets
Meaning: Has a lot of money
Give an Instance: That kid’s dad has deep pockets. / They always donate deep pockets!
Substitute Meaning: Rich / Full of money
42. Money pit
Meaning: Something that keeps needing money
Give an Instance: That old car is a money pit. / The treehouse is a money pit it always needs fixing.
Substitute Meaning: Wastes cash / Needs too much money
43. Shell out
Meaning: Spend money
Give an Instance: I had to shell out $10 for lunch. / They shelled out big bucks for the trip.
Substitute Meaning: Pay / Spend money
44. Take it to the bank
Meaning: Be sure it’s true
Give an Instance: He’ll win the race you can take it to the bank. / She’ll be late take it to the bank.
Substitute Meaning: Totally sure / Bet on it
45. Not worth a dime
Meaning: Worthless
Give an Instance: That broken toy’s not worth a dime. / This old game’s not worth a dime.
Substitute Meaning: No value / Useless
Find the Idioms – Idioms for Money
Reading Passage
Last Friday, our class held a school store to raise money for the library. Jessie said it wouldn’t break the bank to buy a few pencils, so I bought some too. Later, Maya said her cousin was rolling in dough because he made a killing selling snacks at a sports game.
Tom offered to foot the bill for decorations. We thanked him but said we didn’t want anyone to throw money down the drain. Ms. Lewis reminded us that a penny saved is a penny earned, so we used paper signs instead of ordering printed ones.
At the end of the day, we had some cold hard cash and added it to our rainy day fund. Jessie joked that we should all bring home the bacon more often. We knew we got our money’s worth with the smiles from everyone who visited the store.
Instructions for Students:
Read the passage again. Underline or list all the money idioms you find.
Answer Key
- Break the bank
- Rolling in dough
- Made a killing
- Foot the bill
- Throw money down the drain
- A penny saved is a penny earned
- Cold hard cash
- Rainy day fund
- Bring home the bacon
- Get your money’s worth
Conclusion
Idioms about money are common in daily life. They help people talk about spending, saving, and earning in fun and simple ways. These phrases don’t always mean what the words say, but when you learn them, they become easy to understand.
By using idioms like “break the bank” or “rainy day fund,” you can make your writing and speaking more interesting. Next time you hear someone talk about money, listen closely you might spot an idiom!
