cheap money

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablefinancebusiness

   Money that can be borrowed at low interest rates, or a period when credit is easy and inexpensive.

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun, like 'money' itself: cheap money is available, not cheap moneys.

   Patterns

   • cheap money policy
   • a period of cheap money
   • cheap money era

   The central bank's cheap money policy encouraged people to take out mortgages.

   During the cheap money years, startups found it easy to raise funds.

   Economists warn that cheap money can lead to bubbles in the housing market.

2. 2noununcountableinformal

   Money that is obtained with little effort or at a low cost, often used informally.

   Grammar: Informal use; still uncountable. Often suggests something is suspiciously easy.

   Patterns

   • get cheap money
   • cheap money from somewhere

   He thought he was getting cheap money from an online lender, but the fees were huge.

   There's no such thing as cheap money when you look at the total cost.

Common combinations

cheap money policy

The government's cheap money policy kept loan rates low for a decade.

era of cheap money

The era of cheap money ended when inflation rose.

cheap money environment

In a cheap money environment, investors take more risks.

access to cheap money

Small businesses benefited from access to cheap money.

Synonyms and how they differ

easy money

Similar but broader; 'easy money' can also mean money obtained without much work or illegally, while 'cheap money' focuses on low borrowing costs.

loose credit

A close synonym in finance, but 'loose credit' emphasizes the availability of loans rather than their low cost.

Opposites

Commonly confused: cheap money or cheap?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “cheap money”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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