Sometimes we talk about things that are important to us. These can be objects, people, or even ideas. In English, we often use special phrases called idioms to describe how much we care about something. These idioms don’t always mean what the words say. Instead, they help us show feelings in a fun or clever way.
For example, if something is “worth its weight in gold,” it doesn’t mean it is made of gold. It means the thing is very helpful or special. In this article, you will learn many idioms about value. These idioms can help you speak and write in a more colorful and clear way.
Idioms About Value
1. Worth its weight in gold
Meaning: Very valuable or useful
Example Sentence:
– Grandma’s advice is worth its weight in gold.
– That old toolbox is worth its weight in gold when we fix things.
Other ways to say: Very helpful, super important
Fun Fact/Origin: Gold has always been a precious metal, so this idiom means something is very special.
Usage: Used when something is really helpful or needed.
2. A dime a dozen
Meaning: Very common and not special
Example Sentence:
– Those plastic toys are a dime a dozen.
– Pencils at school are a dime a dozen.
Other ways to say: Easy to find, not rare
Fun Fact/Origin: A dime is only ten cents, so this means you can get many for just a little.
Usage: Used when something is not rare or special.
3. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive
Example Sentence:
– That new phone costs an arm and a leg.
– Our tickets to the game cost an arm and a leg.
Other ways to say: Super pricey, very costly
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase jokes that something is so costly, it’s like giving up body parts.
Usage: Used when something is too expensive.
4. Penny for your thoughts
Meaning: Asking someone what they’re thinking
Example Sentence:
– You look quiet. A penny for your thoughts?
– Mom said, “Penny for your thoughts?” when I looked worried.
Other ways to say: What are you thinking? Tell me your thoughts
Fun Fact/Origin: Long ago, people would offer a penny to hear someone’s ideas.
Usage: Used when someone looks deep in thought.
5. Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay too much money
Example Sentence:
– We had to pay through the nose for parking.
– Dad said he paid through the nose for the repairs.
Other ways to say: Spend a lot, overpay
Fun Fact/Origin: This old idiom means unfair prices.
Usage: Used when you pay way more than you should.
6. Bang for your buck
Meaning: Get a lot for your money
Example Sentence:
– That store gives you the most bang for your buck.
– We got more snacks with less money—great bang for our buck!
Other ways to say: Good deal, worth it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from getting a big “bang” (effect) for fewer bucks (money).
Usage: Used when something is a good value.
7. Bottom dollar
Meaning: Your last amount of money
Example Sentence:
– I spent my bottom dollar on that toy.
– He used his bottom dollar to buy a sandwich.
Other ways to say: Last penny, all the money left
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to the last dollar at the “bottom” of your wallet.
Usage: Used when someone is nearly out of money.
8. Worth every penny
Meaning: Something is worth the full cost
Example Sentence:
– That backpack was worth every penny.
– The trip to the zoo was worth every penny.
Other ways to say: Totally worth it, good buy
Fun Fact/Origin: Even if something costs a lot, it can be worth all the money spent.
Usage: Used when something is great even if it’s expensive.
9. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: You shouldn’t waste money
Example Sentence:
– Turn off the lights—money doesn’t grow on trees!
– Mom says that when we ask for too many toys.
Other ways to say: Be careful with money, don’t spend too much
Fun Fact/Origin: A reminder that money is not easy to get.
Usage: Used when someone is spending too much.
10. Not worth a dime
Meaning: Not useful or valuable
Example Sentence:
– That broken bike isn’t worth a dime.
– His excuse wasn’t worth a dime.
Other ways to say: No good, not worth anything
Fun Fact/Origin: A dime is small, so if it’s not worth even that, it’s useless.
Usage: Used when something has no value.
11. Worth a fortune
Meaning: Very expensive or valuable
Example Sentence:
– That painting is worth a fortune.
– Their house must be worth a fortune.
Other ways to say: Very costly, super valuable
Fun Fact/Origin: A “fortune” means a large amount of money.
Usage: Used when something costs a lot or is very valuable.
12. Cheap as chips
Meaning: Very inexpensive
Example Sentence:
– These erasers were cheap as chips.
– That toy was fun and cheap as chips.
Other ways to say: Very cheap, low cost
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in the UK and used for things that don’t cost much.
Usage: Used when something is surprisingly cheap.
13. Break the bank
Meaning: To spend too much money
Example Sentence:
– Buying a new jacket didn’t break the bank.
– Don’t break the bank on that game!
Other ways to say: Spend a lot, use too much money
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from using all the money in a bank.
Usage: Used when talking about large spending.
14. Worth a shot
Meaning: Worth trying, even if it’s risky
Example Sentence:
– I didn’t think I’d win the contest, but it was worth a shot.
– Asking for help was worth a shot.
Other ways to say: Worth trying, give it a go
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports and games where taking a shot might win.
Usage: Used when something may or may not work, but is still worth trying.
15. A steal
Meaning: Something that costs much less than it’s worth
Example Sentence:
– That bike was only $10—it was a steal!
– Those shoes were a steal at the sale.
Other ways to say: Great deal, bargain
Fun Fact/Origin: It feels like “stealing” because the price is so low.
Usage: Used when something is a great value.
16. Throw money down the drain
Meaning: Waste money
Example Sentence:
– Buying that broken toy was like throwing money down the drain.
– If you never use the gym, that membership is money down the drain.
Other ways to say: Wasteful, bad use of money
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from imagining money being thrown away.
Usage: Used when money is spent on useless things.
17. Make ends meet
Meaning: To have just enough money to live
Example Sentence:
– We work hard to make ends meet.
– It’s tough to make ends meet when things cost more.
Other ways to say: Manage, get by
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of connecting the “ends” of a budget.
Usage: Used when people have to budget carefully.
18. For a song
Meaning: Very cheap
Example Sentence:
– I got that chair for a song at the yard sale.
– That old book was sold for a song.
Other ways to say: Really cheap, low price
Fun Fact/Origin: Means the item was almost free—just like singing a song costs nothing.
Usage: Used for great deals.
19. Have deep pockets
Meaning: Have a lot of money
Example Sentence:
– That company has deep pockets.
– She must have deep pockets to afford all that.
Other ways to say: Very rich, wealthy
Fun Fact/Origin: Deep pockets can hold more, like people with lots of money.
Usage: Used when someone has lots of money.
20. Tighten your belt
Meaning: Spend less money
Example Sentence:
– We had to tighten our belts after the holidays.
– He’s tightening his belt to save up for a bike.
Other ways to say: Cut back, spend less
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of getting “thinner” by spending less.
Usage: Used when trying to save money.
21. Not worth the paper it’s printed on
Meaning: Useless or has no value
Example Sentence:
– That fake ticket isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
– This old coupon is not worth the paper it’s printed on.
Other ways to say: Useless, has no value
Fun Fact/Origin: Used when something written is not true or valid.
Usage: Used when something is not useful even if it looks official.
22. Cut corners
Meaning: Do something cheaply or quickly, often poorly
Example Sentence:
– They cut corners building the fence, and it broke.
– Don’t cut corners when doing homework.
Other ways to say: Take shortcuts, skip steps
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from cutting across corners to save time or money.
Usage: Used when someone does less to save money or time.
23. Worth your salt
Meaning: Good at what you do
Example Sentence:
– A coach worth their salt knows how to train a team.
– She’s worth her salt when it comes to math.
Other ways to say: Skilled, talented
Fun Fact/Origin: In the past, people were paid with salt, so it meant being valuable.
Usage: Used to praise someone’s skills.
24. Shell out
Meaning: To spend money
Example Sentence:
– We shelled out ten dollars for snacks.
– I had to shell out for a new backpack.
Other ways to say: Pay up, spend
Fun Fact/Origin: Imagine a shell opening to give something out, like money.
Usage: Used when paying for something, sometimes unwillingly.
25. Worth the trouble
Meaning: The effort was valuable
Example Sentence:
– Finishing the science project was worth the trouble.
– Cooking that meal was a lot, but worth the trouble.
Other ways to say: Worth the work, paid off
Fun Fact/Origin: Even if it’s hard, the end result is good.
Usage: Used after effort leads to a good result.
26. Easy come, easy go
Meaning: Money or things that come easily can go away just as fast
Example Sentence:
– He spent all his gift money—easy come, easy go.
– That free gift broke the same day. Easy come, easy go.
Other ways to say: Quick gain, quick loss
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom reminds us to be careful with what comes too easily.
Usage: Used when something gained quickly is lost quickly.
27. Pay off
Meaning: To be worth the time or money in the end
Example Sentence:
– Studying paid off when I got an A.
– Saving money paid off when I bought that toy.
Other ways to say: Worth it, good result
Fun Fact/Origin: Think of paying a loan—once it’s paid, it feels good.
Usage: Used when effort brings good results.
28. Not worth the hassle
Meaning: Too much trouble for the value
Example Sentence:
– That game was not worth the hassle—it kept crashing.
– Trying to fix the old printer was not worth the hassle.
Other ways to say: Not worth it, too much work
Fun Fact/Origin: Hassle means trouble or stress.
Usage: Used when the result doesn’t match the effort.
Quiz: Idioms About Value
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “cost an arm and a leg” mean?
A) It’s about body parts
B) Something is very cheap
C) Something is very expensive
2. If something is “worth every penny,” it means:
A) It was a waste of money
B) It was worth what you paid
C) It was free
3. When someone says, “a dime a dozen,” what do they mean?
A) It’s very common
B) It costs ten dollars
C) It’s hard to find
4. What does “pay through the nose” mean?
A) Use your nose to buy things
B) Pay a fair price
C) Pay way too much
5. If your shoes were “a steal,” what does that mean?
A) You took them
B) They were very cheap
C) They were lost
6. “Throwing money down the drain” means:
A) Saving your money
B) Spending it wisely
C) Wasting money
7. What does “make ends meet” mean?
A) Join your shoelaces
B) Have enough money to live
C) Cut your food evenly
8. If something is “not worth the hassle,” what does that mean?
A) It’s very fun to do
B) It’s not worth the trouble
C) It’s free and easy
9. When someone “tightens their belt,” they are:
A) Getting ready to eat
B) Wearing tighter pants
C) Spending less money
10. What does “easy come, easy go” mean?
A) It was free and it broke
B) You saved money carefully
C) You kept something safe
Answer Key
- C) Something is very expensive
- B) It was worth what you paid
- A) It’s very common
- C) Pay way too much
- B) They were very cheap
- C) Wasting money
- B) Have enough money to live
- B) It’s not worth the trouble
- C) Spending less money
- A) It was free and it broke
Wrapping Up
Idioms about value help us talk about money, effort, and importance in fun ways. Whether something “costs an arm and a leg” or is “worth every penny,” these phrases make language more interesting. They help us say a lot using just a few words.
Try using some of these idioms in your own conversations. They can help you sound more natural and show what you mean clearly. Keep practicing, and soon they’ll be easy to remember and fun to use.
