Money questions appear in Part 1 (shopping, saving) and Part 3 (cost of living). Idioms like "make ends meet" and "live from hand to mouth" let you talk about society, while "splash out" suits personal stories.
The labels tell you how each one lands with a listener. Natural idioms are safe in any Speaking part. Informal ones suit relaxed Part 1 and Part 2 answers. Overused ones are correct but examiners hear them constantly, so use them once at most. Avoid means dated, slang or a cliché that sounds memorised. None of these belong in Writing Task 2.
14 idioms
be very expensive
Renting a flat in the city centre costs an arm and a leg.
The first money idiom most learners use. Fine once; "it was eye-wateringly expensive" is fresher.
not cost too much
A weekend trip by train won't break the bank.
Usually used in the negative. Natural and positive.
something that costs far more than it should
Fifteen dollars for a coffee at the airport is a rip-off.
Casual but very common.
spend a lot of money on a treat (British)
For my parents' anniversary we splashed out on a meal at a fancy restaurant.
Very natural British English for a Part 2 purchase story.
spend less because you have less money
When prices went up, most families had to tighten their belts.
Works for personal stories and Part 3.
earn just enough to pay for basic things
Many students work part-time just to make ends meet.
Strong for Part 3 answers about the cost of living.
have only enough money for immediate needs
Some workers live from hand to mouth, with no savings at all.
Serious and precise. Good for Part 3.
keep money for a time when you might need it
My grandmother taught me to save something for a rainy day.
Common. Fine in a Part 1 answer about saving.
short of money at the moment
I was a bit strapped for cash at the end of the month.
Casual and natural.
money saved for the future
My parents have built up a small nest egg for their retirement.
Natural and slightly less common in exam answers.
money you want to spend as soon as you get it
Birthday money always burned a hole in my pocket as a child.
Vivid and good for Part 1 childhood questions.
pay far too much
We paid through the nose for tickets because we booked late.
Casual. Similar to "a rip-off".
share the cost of a meal or date equally
When my friends and I eat out, we usually go Dutch.
Natural in conversation about going out.
money is limited, so be careful with it
My dad always said money doesn't grow on trees.
A parent's saying. Fine when you quote someone, otherwise it sounds like a memorised line.
Part 1
Here is a sample answer we wrote to show how a few of these idioms fit into natural speech. Notice that it uses only a handful, spread out, with plain English around them.
I'm more of a saver, to be honest. My parents always encouraged me to put something aside for a rainy day, and it's become a habit. That said, I do splash out now and then, usually on concert tickets, because I'd rather spend money on experiences than things. When I was a student I was often strapped for cash, so now I like knowing there's a little cushion in my account.
Try "it was eye-wateringly expensive", "it was a rip-off" or "we paid through the nose". For the opposite, "it didn't break the bank" is natural and positive.
Idioms that describe society rather than your own spending: "make ends meet", "live from hand to mouth" and "tighten their belts". They let you talk about the cost of living precisely.
No. Idioms belong in Speaking. Writing Task 2 is a formal essay, so idioms and contractions make it sound too casual. Use precise, neutral vocabulary there instead.
One or two, only where they fit what you want to say. Forced idioms sound memorised and can lower your score. On this page, be careful with "cost an arm and a leg", "money doesn't grow on trees": examiners hear them often or they sound dated.
Keep going
More idiom themes:
Practise them on real questions:
Written by Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi. Lexical Resource is one of the four Speaking criteria in the public IELTS scoring guide on ielts.org. BandLadder is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council or IDP, and no list of idioms guarantees a band score.
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy