English Idioms for "Spending or Saving Money"

Explore English idioms that relate to spending or saving money with examples like "have more money than sense" and "play ducks and drakes with".

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to [tighten] {one's} belt [phrase]

to lessen the amount of money or resources one uses compared to before, particularly due to having less available

Ex:

to [stretch] {one's} legs according to the coverlet [phrase]

to avoid spending more money than what one earns

Ex:

to [stretch] {one's} arm no further than {one's} [sleeve] (will reach|) [phrase]

The origin of this idiom is not clear, but it likely developed from the idea of being cautious and not overreaching or attempting more than one can handle.

Ex:

to [throw] good money after bad [phrase]

to continue to waste a lot of money on something that is not worth it

Ex: They keep buying more lottery tickets , thinking they 'll win eventually , but it 's just throwing good money after bad .

black hole [noun]

a project, activity, business, etc. that uses a lot of money or resources without providing any results or profit

Ex: The new marketing campaign turned out to be a black hole for the company 's budget as it did n't attract any new customers .

to [have] more money than sense [phrase]

to possess a significant amount of wealth but lack good judgment or wisdom in managing it

Ex:

to [live] beyond {one's} means [phrase]

to spend in a way that exceeds one's income

Ex: The couple took frequent extravagant vacations , leading to significant debt as they were living beyond their means .

to [live] within {one's} means [phrase]

to spend no more money than one has

Ex: The couple prioritized living within their means , choosing to invest and save for their future rather than indulge in excessive spending .

to [burn] a hole in {one's} pocket [phrase]

to have a strong desire to spend money quickly or impulsively, often resulting in reckless spending habits

Ex: The child was so excited about her birthday money that it seemed to burn a hole in her pocket , and she could n't wait to spend it on toys .

to [throw] money out (of|) the window [phrase]

to wastefully and recklessly spend money

Ex: The company 's poor financial management resulted in throwing money out the window , leading to bankruptcy .

to [spend] money like water [phrase]

to carelessly spend a great sum of money

Ex:

to [play] ducks and drakes with {sth} [phrase]

to use or handle something in a wasteful and careless manner

Ex: Instead of saving for the future , he played ducks and drakes with his savings , spending it on impulsive vacations .

nest egg [noun]

money that is put aside as savings for the future or special occasions

Ex: They used their bonuses as a nest egg for a down payment on a house .

high roller [noun]

someone that spends money in an extravagant way

Ex: The billionaire entrepreneur is known as a high roller , frequently buying luxury yachts and private jets .

to [cut] {one's} coat according to {one's} cloth [phrase]

to live in a way that does not exceed one's financial limitations

Ex: Tom learned to cut his coat according to his cloth after facing financial difficulties due to overspending .

to [have] money to burn [phrase]

to have more money than one needs and waste it on unnecessary things

Ex: The millionaire heiress can dine at the most exclusive restaurants ; she has money to burn .

money pit [noun]

used to refer to something on which one keeps spending more and more money

Ex: The vintage car he bought became a money pit , as it needed frequent repairs and costly spare parts .

to [scrimp] and [save|scrape] [phrase]

to try to spend as little money as possible

Ex: The young couple scrimp and save every month to build their savings for a down payment on a house .

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The Business World	Office Life & Work	Job Responsibilities & Tasks	Job Opportunities
Collaboration & Teamwork	Busy & Active	Earning Money	Wealth & Luxury
Poverty & Financial Issues	Price & Money	Paying & Purchasing	Spending or Saving Money