10 English Phrases for Being Rich and Poor

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#1 – I’m short on cash / I’m hard-up / I’m broke.

These phrases are used to describe having very little money. “I’m broke” implies that you have no money available.

#2 – My bank account is overdrawn.

When you have no money in your account, and you try to take out more money, we say the account is “overdrawn.”

#3 – The company went bankrupt.

To “go bankrupt” means that you don’t have enough money to pay for your financial obligations. A company or a person can go bankrupt. When a company goes bankrupt, it usually shuts down.

#4 – He earns minimum wage – he’s just scraping by.

“Minimum wage” is the minimum salary required by law, and “scraping by” means barely managing to survive with very little money.

#5 – We’re pinching pennies / scrimping and saving this month.

The expressions “pinching pennies” and “scrimping and saving” mean trying to save money when you have very little money available. It means making changes to your lifestyle to reduce your expenses as much as possible.

#6 – She’s quite well-off / wealthy.

Describing someone as “well-off” or “wealthy” means the person is rich. You can also use the word “well-to-do” as an adjective: “My neighbor is a well-to-do businessman.”

#7 – They’re loaded / filthy rich.

Both “loaded” and “filthy rich” are slang words that mean a person is extremely rich.

#8 – He inherited a fortune.

If a friend or family member dies and gives you their money, you have “inherited” the money. A “fortune” is a large amount of money.

#9 – She’s raking in the money/cash/dough.

If a person is doing something that is very profitable and earning a lot of money, you can say they are “raking in” the money. “Dough” is a slang word for money.

#10 – That’s an upscale restaurant.

Describing a place, brand, or product as “upscale” means it is designed for rich people.

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