Idioms are fun phrases where the words together have a special meaning that is different from the literal meaning of each separate word. People use them in everyday conversations to make their speech colorful, engaging, and expressive. In this article, you will learn fifty interesting idioms about earning cash, working hard, and making money.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean earning an income, accumulating wealth, or making money. Let us get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Making Money
1. Bring home the bacon
Definition: To earn a salary or income to support your family.
Used in a Sentence: Working late shifts at the grocery store helps him bring home the bacon for his family. / After graduating college, she found a great job so she could bring home the bacon.
Similar Expressions: Earn a living / Provide for family
2. Make a mint
Definition: To earn a massive amount of money or become very wealthy quickly.
Used in a Sentence: The young inventor knew she would make a mint once her clever gadget hit the market. / Opening a popular pizza shop in downtown helped the brothers make a mint.
Similar Expressions: Earn a fortune / Clean up rich
3. Hit the jackpot
Definition: To experience sudden, massive financial success or luck.
Used in a Sentence: Finding a rare vintage comic book at the garage sale for a dollar felt like hitting the jackpot. / The software developer hit the jackpot when a major tech company bought his app.
Similar Expressions: Strike gold / Score big
4. Make ends meet
Definition: To earn just enough money to pay for basic living expenses like food and rent.
Used in a Sentence: During his first year living alone in the city, he worked two jobs just to make ends meet. / Rising grocery prices made it harder for the family to make ends meet each month.
Similar Expressions: Pay the bills / Survive financially
5. Line your pockets
Definition: To earn or accumulate money, often in a dishonest or selfish way.
Used in a Sentence: The corrupt official tried to line his pockets with funds meant for the community park. / Honest business owners focus on quality service rather than just lining their pockets.
Similar Expressions: Fill your wallet / Accumulate cash
6. Make a fast buck
Definition: To earn money quickly, sometimes through lazy or questionable shortcuts.
Used in a Sentence: He was not interested in a long-term career, preferring to look for ways to make a fast buck. / Selling fake concert tickets online is just a scheme to make a fast buck.
Similar Expressions: Earn quick cash / Make easy money
7. Earn a pretty penny
Definition: To cost a lot of money or earn a very high salary.
Used in a Sentence: Renovating the old kitchen downtown cost the family a pretty penny. / The famous actor earns a pretty penny for starring in blockbuster movies.
Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Earn high wages
8. Strike it rich
Definition: To suddenly become wealthy through a lucky business venture or discovery.
Used in a Sentence: The gold prospectors hoped they would strike it rich in the mountain streams. / When his small startup went public on the stock exchange, he struck it rich.
Similar Expressions: Become wealthy / Hit pay dirt
9. Rain cats and dogs
Definition: A rainstorm that stops outdoor work, or metaphorically a sudden downpour of cash.
Used in a Sentence: When the bonus checks arrived unexpectedly, it felt like money was raining down on us. / After launching the holiday sale, the online store saw orders pouring in like a storm.
Similar Expressions: Pour wealth / Flood of cash
10. Cash in
Definition: To exchange something valuable for money, or to profit from an opportunity.
Used in a Sentence: He decided to cash in his childhood baseball card collection to help pay for college. / Smart investors know when to cash in their stocks before the market drops.
Similar Expressions: Profit from / Redeem for cash
11. Make a killing
Definition: To make an enormous financial profit from a smart investment or sale.
Used in a Sentence: The young entrepreneur made a killing by selling handmade crafts at the holiday market. / Real estate agents can make a killing when property values rise sharply.
Similar Expressions: Score massive profits / Earn big bucks
12. Rake in the cash
Definition: To gather or earn large amounts of money easily and rapidly.
Used in a Sentence: During the summer tourist season, the local ice cream shop rakes in the cash. / The popular streaming channel began raking in the cash after hitting one million subscribers.
Similar Expressions: Gather riches / Accumulate wealth
13. Feather your nest
Definition: To build up your personal wealth and savings, often quietly over time.
Used in a Sentence: He spent years saving every spare paycheck to feather his nest for retirement. / Smart workers put money into retirement accounts to feather their nests.
Similar Expressions: Build savings / Accumulate wealth
14. Keep the wolf from the door
Definition: To earn enough money to survive temporary poverty and hunger.
Used in a Sentence: Taking on freelance design projects kept the wolf from the door during slow months. / Part-time tutoring helped the college student keep the wolf from the door.
Similar Expressions: Ward off poverty / Survive tough times
15. Pad your wallet
Definition: To increase your income or add extra spending money to your funds.
Used in a Sentence: Taking weekend dog-walking gigs helped her pad her wallet for the school trip. / He worked overtime shifts at the diner to pad his wallet before the holidays.
Similar Expressions: Boost income / Add extra cash
16. Reap the rewards
Definition: To receive financial benefits or profits as a result of hard work.
Used in a Sentence: After studying engineering for four years, she finally graduated and began reaping the rewards. / Farmers work hard all spring so they can reap the rewards of their harvest in autumn.
Similar Expressions: Collect profits / Enjoy benefits
17. Roll in dough
Definition: To have an abundance of money and live in wealthy comfort.
Used in a Sentence: After selling his tech invention to a major corporation, he was practically rolling in dough. / Winning the state lottery prize left the winner rolling in dough.
SimilarExpressions: Be super wealthy / Swim in cash
18. Hit pay dirt
Definition: To find financial success after a long period of searching or working.
Used in a Sentence: The startup company hit pay dirt when investors funded their clean energy project. / After years of pitching book ideas, the author finally hit pay dirt with a bestseller.
Similar Expressions: Strike success / Find riches
19. Bring home the bread
Definition: A fun alternative phrase for earning the daily income needed for food and bills.
Used in a Sentence: Both parents worked long hours at the hospital to bring home the bread for their kids. / He took pride in bringing home the bread through his carpentry skills.
Similar Expressions: Earn a living / Provide income
20. Fill your boots
Definition: To take or earn as much money or profit as you possibly can.
Used in a Sentence: During the year-end bonus season, the top sales agents really filled their boots. / When the high-yield investment paid off, he filled his boots with profit.
Similar Expressions: Maximize profit / Take plenty
21. Make a living
Definition: To earn enough money from a job to pay for your everyday lifestyle.
Used in a Sentence: She moved to the city to make a living as a professional graphic designer. / Carpentry is hard labor, but it is a solid way to make a living.
Similar Expressions: Earn wages / Support oneself
22. Turn a profit
Definition: To bring in more money from a business venture than it cost to start.
Used in a Sentence: After selling lemonade all afternoon, the kids finally turned a profit on their stand. / The new bookstore took six months to turn a profit, but now it thrives.
Similar Expressions: Earn a gain / Become profitable
23. Pay your way
Definition: To earn enough money to cover your own expenses without relying on others.
Used in a Sentence: Working a part-time job allowed him to pay his way through university tuition. / Once she got her first office job, she was able to pay her way completely.
Similar Expressions: Cover expenses / Be self-supporting
24. Build a nest egg
Definition: To save up a substantial sum of money over time for future security.
Used in a Sentence: Putting ten percent of every paycheck into savings helped her build a solid nest egg. / They spent decades building a retirement nest egg for their golden years.
Similar Expressions: Save money / Accumulate savings
25. Bring in the sheaves
Definition: An old-fashioned expression for harvesting crops or earning financial rewards.
Used in a Sentence: Autumn arrived, and the local farmers worked hard to bring in the sheaves. / Closing big corporate accounts helped the sales team bring in the sheaves.
Similar Expressions: Gather harvest / Collect earnings
26. Strike oil
Definition: To hit upon a sudden, extremely lucrative source of wealth.
Used in a Sentence: The wildcat drillers struck oil in the Texas desert and became instant millionaires. / Finding that forgotten box of rare baseball cards felt like striking oil in the attic.
Similar Expressions: Strike gold / Find sudden wealth
27. Hit the big time
Definition: To achieve widespread fame and massive financial success in your career.
Used in a Sentence: When the indie rock band signed a record deal, they finally hit the big time. / His web comic became an overnight sensation, helping him hit the big time.
Similar Expressions: Achieve stardom / Reach peak success
28. Print money
Definition: A business or venture that generates cash profits with incredible ease.
Used in a Sentence: Running that popular coffee shop near campus felt like printing money on busy mornings. / A patent on a popular household tool is practically like printing money.
Similar Expressions: Generate cash / Easy profits
29. Harvest the fruits
Definition: To collect the financial benefits of past labor and smart planning.
Used in a Sentence: Investing in real estate early allowed him to harvest the fruits of his patience. / The students studied hard all semester so they could harvest the fruits of high grades.
Similar Expressions: Reap rewards / Collect benefits
30. Make money hand over fist
Definition: To earn large amounts of money very quickly and in large quantities.
Used in a Sentence: During the winter holiday rush, the toy store made money hand over fist. / Their new online gadget business started making money hand over fist within weeks.
Similar Expressions: Earn rapidly / Profit in abundance
31. Work for a song
Definition: To work for very little pay or money (often the opposite of making good money, but highlights low earnings).
Used in a Sentence: When he first started acting in community theater, he worked for a song. / Do not accept a job that pays you for a song; know your true worth.
Similar Expressions: Work for peanuts / Earn low wages
32. Strike pay
Definition: Receiving financial support or earnings during labor negotiations or work ventures.
Used in a Sentence: The union members organized to ensure everyone received fair strike pay during negotiations. / Securing adequate pay for overtime hours was the union’s main goal.
Similar Expressions: Earn wages / Receive compensation
33. Bring home the bacon and fry it in the pan
Definition: An expanded playful variation of earning income and managing it well.
Used in a Sentence: Working two jobs allowed her to bring home the bacon and fry it in the pan for her kids. / He took pride in not only bringing home the bacon but also investing it wisely.
Similar Expressions: Earn and manage money / Provide well
34. Turn copper into gold
Definition: To take a low-value project or item and turn it into a profitable success.
Used in a Sentence: Restoring old bicycles and selling them for a profit felt like turning copper into gold. / The clever artisan knew how to turn old scrap wood into expensive furniture.
Similar Expressions: Profit from scrap / Create value
35. Gather moss
Definition: Accumulating wealth and stability through steady effort (contrasting the rolling stone idiom).
Used in a Sentence: Sticking to one steady career path allowed him to gather financial moss and buy a home. / Saving diligently each month helped her gather a secure financial foundation.
Similar Expressions: Build wealth / Gain stability
36. Fill your pockets
Definition: To make a large amount of money from a successful venture.
Used in a Sentence: The successful stock trader filled his pockets during the market rally. / Winning the regional baking competition allowed her to fill her pockets with prize money.
Similar Expressions: Earn riches / Gather cash
37. Earn your salt
Definition: To earn your pay by doing your job well and proving your value.
Used in a Sentence: Working hard through the busy lunch rush proved the new chef earned his salt. / Every employee must earn their salt by meeting monthly sales targets.
Similar Expressions: Prove your worth / Deserve your pay
38. Make a pile
Definition: To accumulate a large sum of money or personal wealth.
Used in a Sentence: He spent ten years working in Alaska fishing boats to make a pile of cash. / Writing bestselling fantasy novels helped her make a pile of money.
Similar Expressions: Accumulate wealth / Make a fortune
39. Cash in your chips
Definition: To collect your financial winnings or sell investments for cash profit.
Used in a Sentence: After watching the stock price double, she decided to cash in her chips and buy a car. / The gambler cashed in his chips at the casino cage before leaving.
Similar Expressions: Collect winnings / Redeem assets
40. Keep your head above water
Definition: To earn just enough money to avoid going into debt or bankruptcy.
Used in a Sentence: Medical bills made it difficult for the family to keep their head above water. / Taking extra freelance writing jobs helped him keep his head above water.
Similar Expressions: Avoid debt / Survive financially
41. Make a penny drop
Definition: Earning small amounts of change that eventually add up to a larger sum.
Used in a Sentence: Saving every spare coin in a jar helped the kids make a penny drop into a big savings fund. / Small daily savings eventually add up over time.
Similar Expressions: Save coins / Accumulate small sums
42. Bring in the harvest
Definition: To collect the financial earnings and profits of a seasonal business or project.
Used in a Sentence: Apple orchard owners work tirelessly in September to bring in the harvest and profits. / Closing out the fiscal year allowed the firm to bring in the harvest of bonuses.
Similar Expressions: Collect earnings / Gather profits
43. Strike a bargain
Definition: To make a profitable financial agreement or business deal.
Used in a Sentence: After negotiating with the car dealer, my dad struck a bargain on a reliable used vehicle. / The two business owners struck a bargain that benefited both companies financially.
Similar Expressions: Make a deal / Agree on price
44. Turn a honest penny
Definition: To earn money through legal, hard-working, and respectable means.
Used in a Sentence: Babysitting neighbors’ kids on weekends is a great way for teens to turn an honest penny. / He took pride in turning an honest penny through his carpentry workshop.
Similar Expressions: Earn clean money / Work honestly
45. Grease the wheels of commerce
Definition: Providing the financial investment or capital needed to make business transactions happen.
Used in a Sentence: Small business loans help grease the wheels of commerce in local neighborhoods. / Timely payments grease the wheels of commerce between suppliers and stores.
Similar Expressions: Fund business / Enable trade
46. Make a quick buck
Definition: To earn money rapidly, often without putting in long-term effort.
Used in a Sentence: He tried to sell cheap phone cases on the street corner just to make a quick buck. / Legitimate wealth takes time, rather than just trying to make a quick buck.
Similar Expressions: Earn fast cash / Make easy money
47. Strike a goldmine
Definition: To discover an immensely profitable source of income or business idea.
Used in a Sentence: Creating a tutoring app for high school math students felt like striking a goldmine. / When the bakery introduced gluten-free pastries, they struck a goldmine of new customers.
Similar Expressions: Find wealth / Discover profit
48. Build an empire
Definition: To grow a small business into a massive, highly profitable commercial enterprise.
Used in a Sentence: Starting with a single food truck, she worked hard to build a nationwide restaurant empire. / Hard work and smart investments allowed him to build a financial empire.
Similar Expressions: Grow a business / Create enterprise
49. Bring home the gold
Definition: To win a financial prize, contest reward, or top sales commission.
Used in a Sentence: Our regional sales team worked hard all quarter to bring home the gold bonus. / Entering the national science fair competition gave her a chance to bring home the gold.
Similar Expressions: Win the prize / Earn top reward
50. Make hay while the sun shines
Definition: To take advantage of a favorable financial opportunity to make money while you can.
Used in a Sentence: When snow shoveling demand spiked during the blizzard, the kids made hay while the sun shone. / Smart business owners make hay while the sun shines during the busy holiday shopping season.
Similar Expressions: Seize the moment / Profit while able
Exercise to Practice
- Working late shifts at the grocery store helps him bring home the bacon for his family.
- The young inventor knew she would make a mint once her clever gadget hit the market while playing a quiet game of chess.
- Finding a rare vintage comic book at the garage sale for a dollar felt like hitting the jackpot.
- During his first year living alone in the city, he worked two jobs just to make ends meet while baking a chocolate cake in the kitchen.
- The corrupt official tried to line his pockets with funds meant for the community park.
- He was not interested in a long-term career, preferring to look for ways to make a fast buck while reading a history textbook.
- Renovating the old kitchen downtown cost the family a pretty penny.
- The gold prospectors hoped they would strike it rich in the mountain streams by swimming in a deep pool.
- When the bonus checks arrived unexpectedly, it felt like money was raining down on us.
- He decided to cash in his childhood baseball card collection to help pay for college while running a fast marathon race.
- The young entrepreneur made a killing by selling handmade crafts at the holiday market.
- The popular streaming channel began raking in the cash after hitting one million subscribers by driving a red race car.
- He spent years saving every spare paycheck to feather his nest for retirement.
- Taking on freelance design projects kept the wolf from the door during slow months while sleeping soundly in a cozy bed.
- Working weekend dog-walking gigs helped her pad her wallet for the school trip.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning these idioms helps you describe earning income, accumulating wealth, and making money using colorful and engaging language. By practicing them regularly, you can make your everyday writing and conversations much more expressive.
Try using one or two of these expressions the next time you write a story about a hardworking character or talk about saving allowances with friends. You will find that using clever idioms makes sharing stories about money a lot more fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for making money?
Some popular choices include saying someone is bringing home the bacon, making a mint, or hitting the jackpot. These expressions help people describe earning cash in a creative way.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms add charm, color, and vivid imagery to our speech by using figurative meanings instead of plain literal words. They help us share everyday abstract concepts like wealth and work through memorable expressions.
How can students learn these expressions easily?
Students can learn idioms best by connecting them to allowance chores, business projects, or stories about hardworking characters. Using them in simple sentences helps them stick in your memory.
Are these idioms okay to use in formal writing?
Most of these idioms work wonderfully in personal stories, creative essays, or casual presentations. However, strict academic research papers usually require more direct vocabulary.
Do all English speakers understand these money idioms?
Yes, most of these expressions are widely recognized across English-speaking regions, though slight regional variations in phrasing can sometimes occur.
