Welcome to our fun and easy guide on financial idioms! Idioms are phrases that have a special meaning different from the words themselves. In this post, we will explore idioms that include the word “financial” or are related to money and finance. These idioms are simple to understand, and we’ll show you how they are used with clear examples!
Financial Idioms
Here are 20 financial idioms in English.
1. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive
Example: The wedding cost them an arm and a leg.
2. Break the bank
Meaning: To be very expensive
Example: Buying the car won’t break the bank.
3. Cash cow
Meaning: A consistent source of income
Example: Their new product became a cash cow.
4. In the red
Meaning: To be losing money
Example: The company has been in the red.
5. In the black
Meaning: To be profitable
Example: Their business is finally in the black.
6. Money talks
Meaning: Money can influence people
Example: He got the permit since money talks.
7. Pay dirt
Meaning: A source of valuable material
Example: They hit pay dirt with that oil well.
8. Golden handshake
Meaning: A large severance package
Example: She received a golden handshake when retiring.
9. Nest egg
Meaning: Savings set aside for the future
Example: They’ve built a nice nest egg for retirement.
10. Tighten your belt
Meaning: Spend less money
Example: We need to tighten our belts this year.
11. Penny pincher
Meaning: A person who spends very little
Example: He’s a real penny pincher.
12. Foot the bill
Meaning: To pay for something
Example: His father footed the bill for dinner.
13. Go Dutch
Meaning: Each person pays for themselves
Example: Let’s go Dutch at the restaurant.
14. Money laundering
Meaning: Hiding the source of illegal money
Example: He was arrested for money laundering.
15. Rolling in dough
Meaning: Having a lot of money
Example: After the deal, they were rolling in dough.
16. Seed money
Meaning: Initial capital for a business
Example: They found seed money from an investor.
17. Cook the books
Meaning: Illegally alter financial records
Example: The accountant cooked the books.
18. Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay too much for something
Example: They paid through the nose for tickets.
19. Penny for your thoughts
Meaning: Asking someone to share their thoughts
Example: A penny for your thoughts on the issue.
20. Bring home the bacon
Meaning: To earn a living
Example: He brings home the bacon for the family.
