ˈtaɪtən jɔːr belt
Money & Finance
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Making your belt smaller around your waist
What does "tighten your belt" mean?
- To spend less money due to financial constraints
- To reduce expenses and live more frugally
Examples
- We need to tighten our belts until the economy improves.
- After losing his job, the family had to tighten their belts.
- The company is asking everyone to tighten their belts.
Origin
From literally needing a tighter belt when eating less due to poverty. Associated with hard economic times.
How to use it
Common during recessions and personal financial hardship. Implies necessary sacrifice.
Similar expressions
cut back
economize
reduce spending
live frugally
Opposites
spend freely
splurge
live large
Related idioms
- pay an arm and a leg
To pay an extremely high price
- make ends meet
To earn just enough money to cover basic expenses
- cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive
- money doesn't grow on trees
Money is not easily acquired; it must be earned
- break the bank
To cost too much money
- hit the jackpot
To achieve great success or win something valuable
Use it in a practice answer
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