Pin money

Meaning

The idiom "pin money" means to earn a small amount of money that is just enough to cover one's basic needs or expenses. It is often used to describe a low-paying job or a situation where someone is struggling financially.

Usage

• I've been pinning my hopes on landing a higher-paying job soon.
• After years of working as a janitor, she finally landed a better paying job that pays enough to pin money down.
• My friend has been pinning her money on a new venture and it hasn't paid off yet.
• The low wages at the fast food joint make it impossible for me to pin money away for my future goals.
• I'm sorry but I can't afford to help you out, I'm just pinning my money until I get a better job.

Roots and History

The idiom "pin money" dates back to the 19th century in England. It originally referred to a small sum of money that could be pinned to the wall with a thumbtack as a reminder or reminder of one's financial situation. Over time, the meaning of the phrase has evolved to describe a low-paying job or a situation where someone is struggling financially.

Synonyms in English

• Pocket change
• Scrape by
• Make ends meet
• Live paycheck to paycheck
• Get by

Synonyms in other languages

• 價格 (price) - Japanese
• 穷輕領月 (struggling with finances) - Cantonese
• 匣子饳鸡 (tight budget) - Mandarin
• רוקתם שלאנצידן (financial difficulties) - Hebrew
• נוסטה נעשךנת מקופאן בחידבר (tight budget) - Hebrew

Similar Idioms

• pie in the sky

• play cat and mouse

• pass the baton