Work & Money - 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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