Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

On a shoestring budget

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "On a shoestring budget" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourResources, Money, & Value collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Resources, Money, & Value

On a shoestring budget

On a shoestring budget
With a very small or limited amount of money to spend on a project or business.
History & Origin

One popular theory suggests the idiom originates from 19th-century street peddlers who sold small notions like shoestrings, needles, and threads, which required very little capital to start. Another theory links it to prisoners who would lower a shoestring out of their cell windows to collect small coins or charity from sympathetic passersby. Over time, the phrase evolved to describe any venture operating with absolute minimal funds.

Examples
Workplace Email

Although the marketing team is running the upcoming product launch on a shoestring budget, we are confident that our targeted social media campaign will yield strong results.

Casual Conversation

We traveled around Europe for three months on a shoestring budget, mostly staying in cheap hostels and making our own meals.

Academic Writing

Many non-profit organizations are forced to operate on a shoestring budget, which severely limits their capacity to scale long-term community programs.

News/Media

The independent film, shot entirely on a shoestring budget over just twelve days, went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the festival.

Formal Speech

Our founders started this multi-million dollar enterprise in a small garage on a shoestring budget, proving that resourcefulness matters more than raw capital.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. The government approved a multi-billion dollar infrastructure package, allowing the state to build the new high-speed transit system on a shoestring budget.

B. To ensure the safety of the construction workers, the architect wore a sturdy pair of steel-toed boots equipped with a robust shoestring budget.

C. Despite having no external investors, the tech startup managed to build a functional prototype on a shoestring budget using their personal savings.

D. She was so financially secure that she could easily afford to buy an expensive mansion on a shoestring budget without taking out a mortgage.