Money idioms are everywhere in English. Talking about prices, expenses, savings, financial difficulty — these topics come up constantly, and English has many fixed expressions for them. 'It cost an arm and a leg' (very expensive). 'It will not break the bank' (it is not too expensive). 'I had to pay through the nose' (paid more than expected). 'We need to tighten our belt' (spend less, save money). 'They struggle to make ends meet' (have just enough money to live). Like all idioms, the meaning cannot be guessed from the parts. 'Cost an arm and a leg' has nothing to do with body parts — it means expensive. 'Tighten your belt' has nothing to do with actual belts — it means cut spending. Topic-based teaching — grouping idioms by money — makes them easier to remember. This lesson covers about 12 of the most useful money idioms, organised by financial situation, with clear examples and contexts. Connects to the price scale lesson (#26) and the food idioms lesson (#55).
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
cost an arm and a leg (= very expensive)
That new phone cost an arm and a leg — over a month's salary.
pay through the nose (= pay much more than expected)
We had to pay through the nose for hotel rooms during the holiday season.
worth its weight in gold (= extremely valuable, very useful)
A good teacher is worth her weight in gold.
not break the bank (= not too expensive, affordable)
The new bus fare will not break the bank — about the same as before.
Why do English speakers use such colourful expressions for money? What do these idioms have in common?
Money idioms are colourful because money is one of the most-discussed topics in everyday life — people talk constantly about prices, what they can afford, what is too expensive. The colourful idioms add humour and emotion to these everyday discussions. 'Cost an arm and a leg' uses the dramatic image of paying with body parts — exaggeration for emphasis. 'Pay through the nose' suggests the discomfort of being charged too much. 'Worth its weight in gold' uses gold as the standard of high value. 'Not break the bank' uses the bank as the symbol of money — something cheap will not damage it. Each idiom expresses a financial idea in a memorable way. Students who learn these idioms can talk about money like native speakers — with colour and feeling, not just numbers and prices.
tighten your belt (= spend less, save money)
During the recession, many families had to tighten their belts.
make ends meet (= have just enough money to live)
With two children in school, it is hard to make ends meet.
in the red (= owing money, in debt)
The company has been in the red for two years now.
strapped for cash (= short of money, struggling)
I cannot lend you any money — I am strapped for cash myself.
be on the breadline (= very poor, only just surviving)
Many families in the village are on the breadline.
Why do these specific images get used for financial difficulty? How can students remember them?
Each idiom uses a vivid image to capture a financial situation. 'Tighten your belt' uses the image of needing less food (and so a smaller waist) to mean cutting expenses. 'Make ends meet' uses the image of joining two ends of something (perhaps a budget or a piece of fabric) — having just enough to connect income to expenses. 'In the red' comes from accounting — debts were traditionally written in red ink, profits in black. So 'in the red' means owing money. 'Strapped for cash' uses 'strapped' (tied up, restricted) for being limited in money. 'On the breadline' uses bread as the most basic food — being on the line of having only bread to eat means being very poor. The images make the idioms memorable. Students who picture the image can remember the meaning. Grouping by financial situation (difficulty here) helps memory.
penny-pincher / tight-fisted (= someone who hates spending money)
My uncle is a penny-pincher — he never buys anything new.
throw money around (= spend carelessly)
Do not throw money around — save some for emergencies.
rolling in money (= very rich)
After winning the lottery, they were rolling in money.
watch every penny (= be very careful with money)
I watch every penny — I cannot afford to waste anything.
save for a rainy day (= save money for future difficulty)
My mother always told me to save for a rainy day.
What do these idioms describe? How do they relate to the everyday business of managing money?
These idioms describe people's habits and attitudes towards money. 'Penny-pincher' uses the image of pinching small coins — someone who holds tightly to even small amounts. 'Tight-fisted' uses the image of a closed fist — someone who does not let money go easily. 'Throw money around' uses the image of carelessly throwing things — spending without thought. 'Rolling in money' uses the image of having so much money you can roll in it. 'Watch every penny' uses the image of carefully observing each small amount. 'Save for a rainy day' uses bad weather as a metaphor for difficult times — save when things are good for when things go wrong. These idioms are useful for describing yourself, family members, or characters in stories. They add personality and colour to descriptions of money habits.
| Idiom | Meaning | Topic | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive | price | That phone cost an arm and a leg — much more than I wanted to spend. |
| pay through the nose | Pay much more than expected | price | We paid through the nose for last-minute flight tickets. |
| worth its weight in gold | Very valuable, very useful | value | A good translator is worth her weight in gold for international business. |
| not break the bank | Not too expensive, affordable | price | The new bus fare will not break the bank. |
| tighten your belt | Spend less, save money | difficulty | The family had to tighten their belts after the father lost his job. |
| make ends meet | Have just enough money to live | difficulty | With three children, it is hard to make ends meet on one salary. |
| in the red | Owing money, in debt | difficulty | The shop has been in the red since the new supermarket opened. |
| strapped for cash | Short of money, struggling | difficulty | I am strapped for cash this month — I cannot go out for dinner. |
| penny-pincher | Someone who hates spending money | habits | Do not invite him to dinner — he is a real penny-pincher. |
| throw money around | Spend carelessly | habits | He throws money around like there is no tomorrow. |
| rolling in money | Very rich | habits | After her grandfather died, she was rolling in money. |
| save for a rainy day | Save money for future difficulty | habits | I always try to save for a rainy day, even when times are good. |
NOTE 1 — Money is a constant topic: Money idioms come up constantly because money comes up constantly in conversation — about prices, expenses, savings, financial difficulty. Knowing the idioms helps students understand and join everyday discussions about money.
NOTE 2 — Group by topic for memory: Learning all the price idioms together, then all the difficulty idioms, then all the habit idioms, makes them easier to remember. The topic-organised approach creates connections in memory.
NOTE 3 — Most are casual or neutral: Money idioms are mostly informal or neutral in register. They work in everyday speech, friendly emails, and informal writing. They rarely fit formal academic writing or business reports. Save them for casual contexts.
NOTE 4 — Idioms are fixed: Most money idioms cannot be changed. 'Cost an arm and a leg' — not 'cost a leg and an arm' (order matters). 'Tighten your belt' — not 'tighten a belt'. 'In the red' — not 'in red'. The exact wording is fixed.
NOTE 5 — Some idioms have literal cousins: 'Tighten your belt' is figurative (cut spending) but you can also literally tighten a belt. 'In the red' is figurative (in debt) but you can be literally in red clothes. Context tells which meaning is intended.
Money idioms are useful for everyday conversation about prices, financial life, and money habits. Students who do not know them miss meaning frequently in films, songs, and casual conversations. The topic-grouping approach makes them easier to remember than learning random lists. Pairs well with body idioms (#45), animal idioms (#50), and food idioms (#55) — together they give students four strong topic-based foundations in idioms. The teaching focus at this level should be on recognition first (understanding idioms in reading and listening) and active production second.
Use real prices and financial situations to teach money idioms. 'How much does a new phone cost? More than a month's salary? Then it costs an arm and a leg!' Real-life examples make the idioms memorable. Avoid abstract teaching — money idioms live in real money situations.
Choose the best money idiom for each situation. Think about the meaning the context requires.
Each sentence has a problem with a money idiom — wrong wording, wrong context, or wrong choice. Suggest a better version and explain.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — Money idioms by topic (5 min): Write four topics on the board: EXPENSIVE / DIFFICULTY / VALUE / HABITS. Establish that money idioms can be grouped by topic. Today's lesson covers idioms in each group.
STEP 2 — Expensive idioms (6 min): Drill the expensive idioms — cost an arm and a leg (very expensive), pay through the nose (pay too much), worth its weight in gold (very valuable), not break the bank (affordable). Give example sentences for each. Have students produce their own.
STEP 3 — Difficulty idioms (7 min): Drill the financial-difficulty idioms — tighten your belt (cut spending), make ends meet (have just enough), in the red (in debt), strapped for cash (short of money), on the breadline (very poor). Practise each in context.
STEP 4 — Habits idioms (7 min): Drill the money-habit idioms — penny-pincher (hates spending), throw money around (spend carelessly), rolling in money (very rich), watch every penny (very careful), save for a rainy day (save for future difficulty). Practise each.
STEP 5 — Match idiom to situation (5 min): Give five situations. A new phone that was very expensive (cost an arm and a leg). A family barely surviving on one salary (make ends meet). A community needing to cut spending (tighten our belts). A small reasonable expense (not break the bank). A wealthy person from lottery (rolling in money). Discuss as a class.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
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