Idioms about money: meanings and examples
Short answer: Idioms about money are fixed phrases for prices and for having or not having money. “Cost an arm and a leg” means to cost a lot, “a dime a dozen” means very common, and “broke” means having no money.
What do these expressions mean?
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cost an arm and a leg | To cost a lot of money | That watch costs an arm and a leg. |
| A dime a dozen | Something very common and easy to find | Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Hard work is rare. |
| Bucks | Dollars | The ticket was only ten bucks. |
| Broke | Having no money | I can't buy lunch today. I'm broke. |
| Freebie | Something you get for free | The shop gave us a free bag as a freebie. |
When do you use idioms about money?
- To say that something is very expensive: “That coat costs an arm and a leg.”
- To say that something is easy to find, so it is not special: “a dime a dozen”.
- To talk about prices and cash in casual speech: “ten bucks”, “I'm broke”.
- To talk about something you get without paying: “a freebie”.
Are they formal or informal?
“Cost an arm and a leg” and “a dime a dozen” are fine in everyday talk. “Bucks”, “broke” and “freebie” are informal. In a formal text, write “dollars”, “has no money” and “free item”.
Common mistakes with idioms about money
- “Cost an arm and a leg” is about price. It does not mean that anyone is hurt.
- “Bucks” is used for dollars. It is informal, so do not use it in a formal text.
- “Broke” here means having no money. It is not the same as “broken”.
Similar expressions
To say that something is expensive, use “cost an arm and a leg”. To say that something is not special because there is so much of it, use “a dime a dozen”.
More idioms
- English idioms: meanings and examples (all groups)
- Idioms about everyday life, time and weather: meanings and examples
- Everyday English expressions: cool, my bad, no worries and more
- Idioms about luck, risk and choices: meanings and examples
Questions
What does “cost an arm and a leg” mean?
It means to cost a lot of money. For example, “That watch costs an arm and a leg.”
What does “a dime a dozen” mean?
It means something is very common and easy to find, so it is not special.
What does “broke” mean in slang?
It means having no money. You can say, “I can't go out. I'm broke this week.”
What are “bucks”?
“Bucks” is an informal word for dollars. “Ten bucks” means ten dollars.
Part of the English idioms guide in the 💬 Idioms tool.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.