Money Idioms

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duty free

Meaning: Goods sold without taxes or import duties, usually at airports or international travel zones.

Example: She bought a bottle of perfume at a duty-free shop in the airport to save money on taxes. Read more ➺


passive income

Meaning: Money earned regularly with little or no ongoing effort after the initial setup.

Example: She built passive income through online courses that kept selling after launch. Read more ➺


keep up with the Joneses

Meaning: To try to match the lifestyle, possessions, or social status of others, especially neighbors or peers.

Example: He bought a bigger house just to keep up with the Joneses, even though it stretched his budget. Read more ➺


on a shoestring

Meaning: Done or operated with very little money.

Example: The nonprofit organization was run on a shoestring, depending heavily on donations and volunteers. Read more ➺


two bit

Meaning: A cheap, low-quality, or worthless person or thing.

Example: The two-bit crooks thought they could fool everyone, but the police caught them within minutes. Read more ➺


red cent

Meaning: Something of no value; worthless.

Example: He said the broken watch wasn't worth a red cent. Read more ➺


hand over fist

Meaning: Doing something very quickly or in large amounts.

Example: The startup grew hand over fist, signing new customers every week so the team expanded fast. Read more ➺


hit the jackpot

Meaning: To have great or unexpected success or luck.

Example: After launching her online shop, she hit the jackpot when a celebrity endorsed her products. Read more ➺


under the table

Meaning: Done secretly or illegally, especially in business or financial dealings.

Example: The politician was accused of receiving bribes under the table from contractors. Read more ➺


grease someone’s palm

Meaning: To bribe someone secretly to influence their decision.

Example: To expedite the approval process, he decided to grease the official's palm. Read more ➺


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