50 Most Common Money Idioms for ESL Students with Examples

Are you looking for the best way to teach money idioms in your ESL classroom? You’ve just found the ultimate resource for improving money vocabulary. This post is packed with the 50 most useful and common money idioms that students will actually hear and use in real life.

Money idioms help ESL learners sound more natural when they speak English. These expressions appear in daily conversations, movies, news reports, and even job interviews. That’s why teaching them is essential. Students who understand idioms can join real conversations with more confidence.

But this post isn’t just a list. Each idiom includes simple meanings, clear examples, and practice questions. These are ready to use in your lessons right away. You can turn them into engaging conversations, fun role-plays, or even group debates about money.

You’ll also find ideas to build vocabulary, ask creative questions, and explore real-world expressions about spending, saving, and earning money. Whether you’re teaching beginners or advanced students, these idioms will spark curiosity and help your students speak like natives.

So don’t stop at the first few. Read through the whole list, and get inspired to make your next ESL money class more practical, fun, and full of real-life English.

1. A Penny for Your Thoughts

Meaning: A way of asking someone what they are thinking.

Context: Used when someone looks deep in thought or quiet.

Examples:

• You’ve been so quiet— a penny for your thoughts?
• She stared out the window, so I asked, “A penny for your thoughts?”
• After the meeting, he said, “A penny for your thoughts,” to hear my opinion.

Practice Question:
When would you use “a penny for your thoughts” in a conversation?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to politely ask someone to share what’s on their mind.

2. Born with a Silver Spoon in One’s Mouth

Meaning: To be born into a wealthy or privileged family.

Context: Often used to describe someone who has had an easy life financially.

Examples:

• He never had to work hard because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
• People say she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth since her family is very rich.
• Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, so some must work harder.

Practice Question:
What advantages might someone have if they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe someone who grew up wealthy or privileged.

3. Break Even

Meaning: To neither make a profit nor a loss; to balance income and expenses.

Context: Used when talking about business or personal finances.

Examples:

• The company finally broke even after two years of losses.
• We didn’t make money, but at least we broke even on the event.
• My small business broke even this month, so I’m hopeful for the future.

Practice Question:
Have you ever broken even on a project or event?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when income equals expenses, meaning no profit or loss.

4. Break the Bank

Meaning: To spend all your money or a very large amount of money.

Context: Used when something is very expensive.

Examples:

• Buying that new phone didn’t break the bank.
• They went on vacation but didn’t want to break the bank.
• Don’t break the bank on clothes; you can find cheaper options.

Practice Question:
What is something you wouldn’t want to break the bank to buy?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about spending too much money.

5. Bring Down the House

Meaning: To cause great excitement or applause, especially in a performance.

Context: Often used in entertainment or when someone impresses a group.

Examples:

• Her speech really brought down the house at the conference.
• The comedian’s jokes brought down the house last night.
• He brought down the house with his amazing guitar solo.

Practice Question:
Have you ever seen someone bring down the house with a performance?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe a very successful or impressive performance.

6. Bring Home the Bacon

Meaning: To earn money to support a family or household.

Context: Commonly used when talking about work and earning a living.

Examples:

• He works hard to bring home the bacon for his family.
• Since she lost her job, it’s been hard to bring home the bacon.
• Many people want jobs that help them bring home the bacon.

Practice Question:
What job would you like to bring home the bacon?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about earning money to support yourself or others.

7. Cash Cow

Meaning: A product or business that makes a steady and large profit.

Context: Used in business to describe something very profitable.

Examples:

• Their new app became a cash cow for the company.
• This store is the cash cow of the shopping mall.
• He invested in a cash cow that keeps earning money every month.

Practice Question:
Can you think of a cash cow product or business?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe something that brings in a lot of money regularly.

8. Chicken Feed

Meaning: A very small or insignificant amount of money.

Context: Used when talking about money that is not worth much.

Examples:

• The raise they gave me is just chicken feed.
• Don’t work for chicken feed if you want to earn more.
• They sold the old car for chicken feed.

Practice Question:
Have you ever earned or received chicken feed?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about a very small amount of money.

9. Cold Hard Cash

Meaning: Money in the form of bills and coins, not checks or credit.

Context: Often used when emphasizing physical money.

Examples:

• I prefer to pay with cold hard cash rather than a credit card.
• He carried cold hard cash for the market.
• The shop only accepts cold hard cash, no cards.

Practice Question:
Do you usually pay with cold hard cash or by card?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to emphasize paying with actual money, not electronically.

10. Cost an Arm and a Leg

Meaning: To be very expensive.

Context: Used to describe high prices.

Examples:

• That new car costs an arm and a leg.
• The concert tickets cost an arm and a leg, but it was worth it.
• Their vacation cost them an arm and a leg.

Practice Question:
What is something you think costs an arm and a leg?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about things that are very expensive.

11. Dig Into Your Wallet

Meaning: To spend money, often reluctantly or because it is necessary.

Context: Used when talking about paying for something, especially unexpectedly or with effort.

Examples:

• I had to dig into my wallet to pay for the car repairs.
• When the bill arrived, she had to dig into her wallet to cover it.
• We had to dig into our wallets to afford the extra costs.

Practice Question:
When was the last time you had to dig into your wallet for something?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when you have to pay or spend money, especially if it’s more than expected.

12. Easy Come, Easy Go

Meaning: Money that is earned or acquired easily is often lost just as easily.

Context: Used to express a relaxed attitude about gaining and losing money.

Examples:

• I won some money at the casino, but lost it all — easy come, easy go.
• He didn’t worry about spending his bonus because easy come, easy go.
• Don’t get upset about losing small amounts; easy come, easy go.

Practice Question:
Do you agree with the saying “easy come, easy go”? Why or why not?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to show that money gained quickly can disappear just as fast.

13. Easy Money

Meaning: Money earned with little effort or risk.

Context: Used when talking about simple or effortless ways to make money.

Examples:

• Freelancing online is easy money for some people.
• They saw the sale as easy money and jumped on the opportunity.
• Selling old stuff at a garage sale can be easy money.

Practice Question:
What would you consider easy money?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe money earned without much hard work.

14. Filthy Lucre

Meaning: Money, especially when considered to be gained dishonestly or dishonorably.

Context: Often used humorously or critically to describe money as dirty or bad.

Examples:

• Some people see politics as a way to earn filthy lucre.
• He didn’t care about the filthy lucre, only the work itself.
• The film critic called the movie a sellout for filthy lucre.

Practice Question:
What kind of money might be called filthy lucre?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe money gained in a dishonest or negative way.

15. Filthy Rich

Meaning: Extremely wealthy.

Context: Used informally to describe someone who has a lot of money.

Examples:

• After the company’s success, the founders became filthy rich.
• He lives in a mansion because he’s filthy rich.
• She’s not just rich; she’s filthy rich.

Practice Question:
What would you do if you were filthy rich?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe someone who is very rich.

16. Foot the Bill

Meaning: To pay for something, especially when it is expensive or unexpected.

Context: Often used when someone else has to pay for a group or situation.

Examples:

• I had to foot the bill for dinner last night.
• Who’s going to foot the bill for the office party?
• The company footed the bill for our training.

Practice Question:
Have you ever had to foot the bill for a group event?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about paying for something, often on behalf of others.

17. Get Bang for Your Buck

Meaning: To get good value or return for the money spent.

Context: Used when talking about getting the most benefit for your money.

Examples:

• Buying in bulk gives you more bang for your buck.
• This phone offers a lot of features, so you get bang for your buck.
• He always shops where he can get the best bang for his buck.

Practice Question:
How do you get the best bang for your buck when shopping?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about getting good value for money.

18. Get Your Money’s Worth

Meaning: To receive good value or quality for the money spent.

Context: Similar to “get bang for your buck,” used to describe satisfaction with a purchase.

Examples:

• The hotel was expensive but we definitely got our money’s worth.
• Make sure you get your money’s worth when buying electronics.
• I didn’t think the movie was good enough to get my money’s worth.

Practice Question:
Can you think of a time when you got your money’s worth?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when you feel satisfied with what you received for the money spent.

19. Gravy Train

Meaning: A situation where someone makes money easily and with little effort.

Context: Often used critically or humorously to describe an easy source of income.

Examples:

• He joined the company and quickly found the gravy train.
• Some say government contracts are a gravy train.
• She’s riding the gravy train after her promotion.

Practice Question:
What would be an example of a gravy train job?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe easy, often comfortable money-making situations.

20. Have Money to Burn

Meaning: To have a lot of money to spend freely or wastefully.

Context: Used when someone is very wealthy or spends money without worry.

Examples:

• He’s so rich, he has money to burn.
• They must have money to burn, always buying expensive cars.
• I don’t have money to burn, so I’m careful with my spending.

Practice Question:
What would you spend money on if you had money to burn?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about having plenty of money and being able to spend it easily.

21. In the Black

Meaning: To be financially profitable or not in debt.

Context: Used in accounting or business to show a positive balance.

Examples:

• After a tough year, the company is finally in the black.
• We try to stay in the black by cutting unnecessary costs.
• Small businesses often struggle to stay in the black.

Practice Question:
Do you know any businesses that are in the black right now?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about profit or being financially stable.

22. In the Red

Meaning: To be in debt or losing money.

Context: Commonly used in business and financial contexts.

Examples:

• The store is in the red and may close soon.
• After the renovations, they were deeply in the red.
• The project put the company in the red for months.

Practice Question:
Why might a company be in the red?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe a situation where someone or a business owes money.

23. Keep the Wolf from the Door

Meaning: To have just enough money to avoid poverty or hunger.

Context: Used when talking about surviving difficult financial times.

Examples:

• His small job helps keep the wolf from the door.
• We cut back on expenses to keep the wolf from the door.
• She took a second job to keep the wolf from the door.

Practice Question:
What are some ways people try to keep the wolf from the door?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe just managing to survive financially.

24. Live Hand to Mouth

Meaning: To live with just enough money for basic needs, with no savings.

Context: Describes people living paycheck to paycheck or in poverty.

Examples:

• Many families live hand to mouth in the city.
• He lived hand to mouth while starting his business.
• The villagers live hand to mouth due to the drought.

Practice Question:
Do you know anyone who lives hand to mouth?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about living with very limited money.

25. Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Meaning: To spend all your salary with nothing left to save.

Context: Used to describe a financial situation with no extra money.

Examples:

• Most young adults are living paycheck to paycheck.
• It’s stressful to live paycheck to paycheck every month.
• She works two jobs but still lives paycheck to paycheck.

Practice Question:
What are some challenges of living paycheck to paycheck?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe a lifestyle without financial cushion or savings.

26. Make a Killing

Meaning: To earn a lot of money quickly and easily.

Context: Used informally about great financial success.

Examples:

• He made a killing in real estate.
• They made a killing selling their startup.
• That new app is making a killing.

Practice Question:
What’s a business idea that could make a killing?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe a situation where someone makes a lot of money fast.

27. Make Ends Meet

Meaning: To earn just enough money to cover basic living expenses.

Context: Used to describe financial difficulty or careful budgeting.

Examples:

• It’s hard to make ends meet on minimum wage.
• They’re struggling to make ends meet after the layoffs.
• She takes extra work to make ends meet.

Practice Question:
What can people do to make ends meet?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about getting by financially.

28. Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees

Meaning: Money is limited and must be earned or saved.

Context: Often used to warn against wasting money.

Examples:

• I told my son money doesn’t grow on trees.
• Stop spending carelessly—money doesn’t grow on trees.
• They need to learn that money doesn’t grow on trees.

Practice Question:
How do you explain to children that money doesn’t grow on trees?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to remind others to use money wisely.

29. Money Talks

Meaning: Money has power and influence.

Context: Used when money is used to get what someone wants.

Examples:

• In politics, money talks.
• He got the job faster—money talks.
• In big business, money talks more than ideas.

Practice Question:
Do you agree that money talks in today’s world?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe how money influences decisions or actions.

30. Money to Burn

Meaning: To have more money than needed, and spend freely.

Context: Describes someone who spends without concern.

Examples:

• She has money to burn on designer clothes.
• They must have money to burn, buying a yacht.
• He acts like he has money to burn, but he’s in debt.

Practice Question:
What would you buy if you had money to burn?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe someone with extra money who spends a lot.

31. Nest Egg

Meaning: Savings set aside for the future, especially for retirement.

Context: Used when talking about long-term savings or financial planning.

Examples:

• She’s building a nest egg for retirement.
• Their nest egg helped them during hard times.
• He’s been growing his nest egg since his twenties.

Practice Question:
Do you have a plan to build a nest egg?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when referring to saved money for future security.

32. Nickel and Dime

Meaning: To charge or spend small amounts that add up over time.

Context: Often used when small expenses or charges become annoying.

Examples:

• The airline nickel and dimed us for everything.
• Be careful—those fees nickel and dime you.
• They nickel and dime customers with extra costs.

Practice Question:
Have you ever been nickel and dimed by a company?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about small expenses that can become a big total.

33. On the House

Meaning: Given free by the business or host.

Context: Commonly used in restaurants, cafes, or bars.

Examples:

• The drinks were on the house.
• The manager said dessert was on the house.
• We got a free appetizer on the house.

Practice Question:
Have you ever received something on the house?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when something is free from a business.

34. Pay Dirt

Meaning: To have sudden success or find something valuable.

Context: Often used in business, investments, or discovery.

Examples:

• Their new idea hit pay dirt.
• She struck pay dirt with that invention.
• The miner finally reached pay dirt.

Practice Question:
What’s a situation where someone might hit pay dirt?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe a moment of success or great gain.

35. Pay the Piper

Meaning: To face the consequences of your actions.

Context: Refers to accepting responsibility, especially after ignoring a problem.

Examples:

• He failed the exam and had to pay the piper.
• They borrowed too much and had to pay the piper.
• Sooner or later, you must pay the piper.

Practice Question:
Can you think of a time you had to pay the piper?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when someone finally deals with the results of poor decisions.

36. Pay Through the Nose

Meaning: To pay too much for something.

Context: Used when something is overpriced or costly.

Examples:

• We paid through the nose for parking.
• They paid through the nose for concert tickets.
• She paid through the nose for that designer bag.

Practice Question:
What is something you had to pay through the nose for?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to talk about spending more than expected.

37. Penny-Pincher

Meaning: Someone who is very careful or stingy with money.

Context: Describes a person who tries to save every small amount.

Examples:

• My uncle is a real penny-pincher.
• She’s a penny-pincher and hates wasting money.
• Penny-pinchers always look for discounts.

Practice Question:
Do you know someone who is a penny-pincher?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe someone who avoids spending money.

38. Pick Up the Tab

Meaning: To pay the bill, especially for a group.

Context: Common in restaurants, bars, or shared activities.

Examples:

• He picked up the tab for dinner.
• I’ll pick up the tab this time.
• She always picks up the tab when we go out.

Practice Question:
When was the last time you picked up the tab?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about paying for others.

39. Pour Money Into

Meaning: To invest a lot of money in something.

Context: Used in business, education, or large projects.

Examples:

• They poured money into advertising.
• The government poured money into healthcare.
• Investors are pouring money into tech startups.

Practice Question:
What’s something worth pouring money into?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about putting large amounts of money into something.

40. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Meaning: To support your words with action or money.

Context: Used when challenging someone to prove what they say.

Examples:

• He talks big, but won’t put his money where his mouth is.
• If you believe in the cause, put your money where your mouth is.
• She finally put her money where her mouth is and donated.

Practice Question:
When should someone put their money where their mouth is?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to encourage action instead of just talk.

41. Rags to Riches

Meaning: To go from being very poor to very wealthy.

Context: Used to describe someone’s journey to success or wealth.

Examples:

• His story is a classic rags to riches tale.
• She went from rags to riches through hard work.
• Many celebrities have rags to riches backgrounds.

Practice Question:
Can you name a rags to riches story?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe dramatic success or improvement in life.

42. Rolling in Dough

Meaning: Having a lot of money.

Context: Often used informally to describe someone very rich.

Examples:

• After his business took off, he was rolling in dough.
• She must be rolling in dough to afford that house.
• They’re rolling in dough after winning the lottery.

Practice Question:
What would you do if you were rolling in dough?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about someone with a lot of money.

43. Shell Out

Meaning: To pay or spend money, often unwillingly.

Context: Used when someone pays a large or unexpected amount.

Examples:

• I had to shell out $200 for repairs.
• We shelled out a lot for the wedding.
• He hates shelling out money for parking.

Practice Question:
Have you ever had to shell out more than you expected?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when paying money feels like a burden.

44. Sweeten the Deal

Meaning: To make an offer more attractive by adding extra benefits.

Context: Commonly used in business or negotiations.

Examples:

• He sweetened the deal by offering free delivery.
• They sweetened the deal with a discount.
• The seller sweetened the deal to close the sale.

Practice Question:
Have you ever sweetened the deal to convince someone?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when making an offer more appealing.

45. Take It to the Bank

Meaning: To be sure that something is true or will happen.

Context: Used when expressing strong confidence in a statement or promise.

Examples:

• You can take it to the bank—he’ll be late.
• That team will win, take it to the bank.
• She always tells the truth—you can take that to the bank.

Practice Question:
What is something you’re so sure about that you’d take it to the bank?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to show certainty or confidence.

46. Throw Money at Something

Meaning: To try to solve a problem by spending money on it.

Context: Often used when money is used instead of effort or strategy.

Examples:

• They threw money at the problem without real planning.
• You can’t just throw money at education.
• The company threw money at marketing to increase sales.

Practice Question:
Can you think of a time when throwing money at something didn’t work?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when describing wasteful or lazy spending.

47. Throw Money Down the Drain

Meaning: To waste money.

Context: Used when money is spent carelessly or on something useless.

Examples:

• Buying that car was like throwing money down the drain.
• They threw money down the drain on that failed project.
• Don’t throw money down the drain on things you don’t need.

Practice Question:
Have you ever felt like you threw money down the drain?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when describing financial waste.

48. Tighten One’s Belt

Meaning: To spend less money due to financial difficulty.

Context: Common during tough economic times or after a loss of income.

Examples:

• After losing his job, he had to tighten his belt.
• We’re tightening our belts until we save more.
• Families tightened their belts during the recession.

Practice Question:
When is a time someone might need to tighten their belt?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom when talking about reducing expenses.

49. Time is Money

Meaning: Time is valuable, so don’t waste it.

Context: Often used in business or productivity conversations.

Examples:

• Let’s get started—time is money.
• She works fast because she believes time is money.
• In sales, time is money.

Practice Question:
Do you agree that time is money? Why or why not?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to stress the importance of using time wisely.

50. Worth a Fortune

Meaning: Extremely valuable or expensive.

Context: Used to describe something that has a very high price or value.

Examples:

• That necklace is worth a fortune.
• Their house is worth a fortune now.
• His rare coin collection is worth a fortune.

Practice Question:
What’s something you own that you think is worth a fortune?

Quick Tip for ESL Students:
Use this idiom to describe anything very valuable or costly.

Conclusion

Teaching money idioms can truly transform your ESL classroom. These expressions make lessons more fun, relatable, and real. When students learn idioms like break the bank or bring home the bacon, they don’t just learn English—they learn how to speak like native speakers.

This post gives you everything you need: clear meanings, real-life examples, practice questions, and tips. Use them in speaking activities, conversations, role-plays, debates, and vocabulary games. Your students will enjoy the variety and learn how to express money-related ideas with confidence.

So go ahead—use this post as your go-to guide for teaching money idioms. It’s practical, classroom-ready, and made for real success.

FAQs About Using Money Idioms in the ESL Classroom

1. Why should I teach money idioms to ESL students?
Money idioms are very common in spoken and written English. Teaching them helps students understand native speakers and express themselves more naturally.

2. Are money idioms too difficult for beginners?
Not necessarily. You can start with simpler idioms and provide clear examples. Many idioms become easy when students see them in context.

3. How can I introduce money idioms in a fun way?
Use pictures, real-life dialogues, short skits, or personal stories. You can also play matching games or role-plays using the idioms.

4. How many idioms should I teach in one lesson?
Start with 5–7 idioms per lesson. This keeps it manageable and allows time for practice and discussion.

5. Can I turn idiom practice into speaking activities?
Absolutely! Have students use idioms in conversations, questions, debates, or storytelling. This builds both fluency and confidence.

6. What’s the best way to help students remember idioms?
Repetition, context, and usage. Encourage students to use idioms in their own sentences and class discussions.

7. Are money idioms useful for exam preparation?
Yes, especially for speaking and writing tasks. Idioms can show higher-level vocabulary and improve scores in tests like IELTS or TOEFL.

8. How do I assess students’ understanding of idioms?
Ask them to explain idioms in their own words, use them in writing, or role-play situations where idioms fit naturally.

9. Can idioms be included in vocabulary lessons?
Definitely. Idioms are a key part of everyday vocabulary. Group them by topic, like money, to make learning more meaningful.

10. Where can I get more idioms for class use?
You’re already in the right place. Start with the 50 idioms in this post and come back for more theme-based idiom guides in the future.