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Money idioms in English

19 phrases from the lesson “Tightening the Belt”.

• tighten your beltto spend less money than before, usually because you have to
• be strapped for cashto have very little money available
• cost a fortuneto be very expensive
• break the bankto cost more money than you can really afford
• a rainy day fundmoney saved for emergencies or unexpected expenses
• pay through the nose for (something)to pay much more for something than it's really worth
• money doesn't grow on treessaid to remind someone that money is limited and shouldn't be wasted
• penny-pinchingbeing extremely careful, sometimes excessively so, with money
• every penny countssaid when even small amounts of money matter
• be in the redto owe money; to have spent more than you have
• cost an arm and a legto be very expensive
• money talkshaving money gives you power or influence
• born with a silver spoon in your mouthborn into wealth and privilege
• daylight robberya price that feels outrageously, almost dishonestly high
• a drop in the oceana very small amount compared to what's needed
• throw money at a problemto try to solve a problem by spending rather than real effort
• live from pay check to pay checkto spend almost everything you earn each month, with no savings
• money to burnso much spare money that you can spend freely
• rein in your spendingto deliberately start spending less