Investing wisely is crucial for financial growth and stability. Idioms about investment often reflect the principles and risks associated with it. Learning these idioms can enhance your understanding of investment concepts and enrich your vocabulary. Here are 20 idioms that describe various aspects of investment.
Idioms That Describe Investment
1. A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Meaning: Saving money is as valuable as earning it.
Example: “Start early, as a penny saved is a penny earned.”
2. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Meaning: Support your words with financial action.
Example: “He invested heavily, putting his money where his mouth is.”
3. Nest Egg
Meaning: A sum of money saved for the future.
Example: “She’s building a nest egg for retirement.”
4. Cash Cow
Meaning: A profitable business or investment.
Example: “Their rental property is a real cash cow.”
5. High Risk, High Reward
Meaning: High-risk investments can yield high returns.
Example: “He likes stocks because it’s high risk, high reward.”
6. Throw Good Money After Bad
Meaning: Waste more money on a failing investment.
Example: “Stop throwing good money after bad in that business.”
7. Feather Your Nest
Meaning: Save money for personal benefit.
Example: “She worked hard to feather her nest.”
8. Safe as Houses
Meaning: A very secure investment.
Example: “Investing in bonds is safe as houses.”
9. Sink or Swim
Meaning: Succeed or fail without help.
Example: “His startup will sink or swim on its own.”
10. Money Talks
Meaning: Money can influence people’s decisions.
Example: “In politics, money talks and rules change.”
11. Pay Dividends
Meaning: Yield beneficial results.
Example: “Her hard work will pay dividends in the future.”
12. Break Even
Meaning: No net loss or gain.
Example: “We hope to break even by next year.”
13. On the Dotted Line
Meaning: Formally agreeing to a deal.
Example: “Sign on the dotted line to finalize the investment.”
14. Money to Burn
Meaning: Excess money to spend freely.
Example: “With his success, he has money to burn.”
15. Cash in Hand
Meaning: Money immediately available.
Example: “He prefers cash in hand over promises.”
16. Playing the Market
Meaning: Investing in the stock market.
Example: “He’s made a fortune by playing the market.”
17. A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted
Meaning: Careless investors lose money quickly.
Example: “Without research, a fool and his money are soon parted.”
18. Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish
Meaning: Save small amounts but waste larger ones.
Example: “Being penny-wise, pound-foolish can ruin investments.”
19. The Bottom Line
Meaning: The most important factor.
Example: “The bottom line is the investment’s profitability.”
20. Bet the Farm
Meaning: Risk everything on a venture.
Example: “He bet the farm on this risky investment.”