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Money makes the world go round, as they say, and it’s no surprise that there are plenty of phrasal verbs about money. From “save up” to “splash out”, from “pay back” to “rip off”, these verbs can be used to describe a wide range of financial situations. But what exactly do these verbs mean, and how can you use them correctly?
In the following paragraphs, you will explore some of the most common phrasal verbs about money. You’ll get to know their meanings and see examples of how to use them effectively. You will also learn how these verbs can be applied in everyday conversation and business settings. So let’s get started!
List of Money Phrasal Verbs
- Pay off
- Fork out
- Run up
- Rip off
- Save up
- Put aside
- Squirrel away
- Pay back
- Splash out
- Put down
- Come into
- Break down
- Chip in
- Shell out
- Take out
- Dip into
- Get by
- Set aside
Money Phrasal Verbs with Meaning and Examples
Pay off
- Meaning: Finish paying money owed for something
- Example: We paid off our mortgage after fifteen years.
Fork out
- Meaning: Spend a lot of money on something, especially unwillingly
- Example: We’ve forked out a small fortune on their education.
Run up
- Meaning: Accumulate a large debt
- Example: She ran up a huge credit card bill while on vacation.
Rip off
- Meaning: Charge someone too much money for something
- Example: They ripped us off – don’t trust them.
Save up
- Meaning: Set money aside for a future purpose
- Example: We’re saving up for a down payment on a house.
Put aside
- Meaning: Save money for a specific purpose
- Example: We put aside money each month for our children’s college education.
Squirrel away
- Meaning: Secretly save money
- Example: She’s been squirreling away money for years to buy a boat.
Pay back
- Meaning: Repay money that was borrowed
- Example: He promised to pay us back by the end of the month.
Splash out
- Meaning: Spend a lot of money on something, often for pleasure
- Example: We splashed out on a fancy vacation for our anniversary.
Put down
- Meaning: Make a deposit on something
- Example: We put down a deposit on our new car.
Come into
- Meaning: To inherit or receive money from someone who has passed away
- Example: She came into a large inheritance after her grandfather passed away
Break down
- Meaning: To divide the total cost into smaller parts
- Example: Could you break down the cost of the project for me?
Cut back (on)
- Meaning: To reduce spending
- Example: We need to cut back on our expenses this month.
Shell out
- Meaning: To spend a significant amount of money
- Example: I had to shell out a lot of money for that repair.
Take out
- Meaning: To withdraw money or to arrange for a loan
- Example: I need to take out some cash from the ATM.
- They took out a mortgage to buy the house.
Dip into
- Meaning: To use some of your savings
- Example: I had to dip into my savings to cover the unexpected expenses.
Get by
- Meaning: To manage to live with limited resources
- Example: We can get by on my salary for now.
Set aside
- Meaning: To save money for a specific purpose
- Example: I set aside a portion of my paycheck for emergencies.
Practical Application of Money-Related Phrasal Verbs
When it comes to learning phrasal verbs, it is essential to understand how they are used in practical situations. In this section, we will discuss how money-related phrasal verbs can be used in everyday conversation and business settings.
In Everyday Conversation
Using phrasal verbs about money in everyday conversation can help you express yourself more effectively. Here are some examples:
- Save up – “We’re saving up for a new car, so we can’t go on vacation this year.”
- Fork out – “I had to fork out $500 for a new phone because I dropped mine in the pool.”
- Put aside – “I always put aside some money from my paycheck for emergencies.”
- Run up – “I ran up a huge credit card bill during my vacation in Europe.”
In Business Settings
In business settings, using money-related phrasal verbs can help you communicate more clearly and professionally. Here are some examples:
- Cut back on – “We need to cut back on our expenses to increase our profits.”
- Come into – “We came into some money from a recent investment, so we can afford to expand our business.”
- Pay back – “We need to pay back the loan we took out from the bank.”
- Splash out – “We splashed out on a new marketing campaign to attract more customers.”
Using these phrasal verbs can help you communicate more effectively in both everyday conversation and business settings. By incorporating them into your vocabulary, you can express yourself more clearly and confidently when talking about money.
Interactive Exercise
Exercise 1: Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence.
a. I need to _____ some money for my vacation.
- fork out
- come into
- run up
- put down
b. He _____ a huge debt on his credit card.
- forked out
- ran up
- paid back
- squirreled away
c. The store _____ me by charging double the price.
- ripped off
- put aside
- splashed out
- paid off
d. She likes to _____ her savings in a secret bank account.
- come into
- put down
- squirrel away
- run up
e. I need to _____ the money I borrowed from my friend.
- splash out
- put aside
- pay back
- fork out
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb:
a. I need to _____ some money for my retirement.
b. She _____ $500 for a new phone.
c. He _____ a huge debt on his credit card.
d. The company _____ us by charging high fees.
e. We need to _____ some money for our kids’ education.
f. I always _____ a portion of my salary for emergencies.
g. She likes to _____ her savings in a secret bank account.
h. I need to _____ the money I borrowed from my friend.
i. He _____ $1000 on a luxury vacation.
j. We decided to _____ a deposit on the car we liked.
k. She _____ a large inheritance from her grandparents.
Answers:
Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Quiz
- a. run up
- b. ran up
- c. ripped off
- d. squirrel away
- e. pay back
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb:
a. save up b. forked out c. ran up d. ripped us off e. put aside f. squirrel away g. put back h. pay back i. splashed out j. put down k. came into
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