Step 87: Money Talks
Idiomatic English — Money idioms and business phrasal verbs
📖 Read — The Food Truck Dream
Two friends, Chris and Maya, decided to open a food truck in Austin. “We won't break the bank,” Chris said. “We'll start small.” They took out a small loan, bought a used truck, and worked every weekend. The costs added up fast — gas, permits, ingredients. In their first month, they didn't make a profit; they just broke even.
Slowly, things improved. The truck started to bring in real money — the lunch lines grew. They cut back on expensive ingredients and paid off half the loan. “We're making a living now,” Maya smiled. “Not rich — but we make ends meet, and the business is ours. That's worth more than money.”
🧩 Grammar — Money Idioms and Business Phrasal Verbs
Business English loves phrasal verbs: bring in (earn, attract), cut back (on) (reduce spending), add up (reach a total; also 'make sense'), run out of (finish your supply), take out (a loan — borrow from a bank), pay off (finish paying a debt), save up (collect money for a goal). Profit language: break even (costs = earnings, zero profit), make a living (earn enough to live), make ends meet (have just enough money for life).
- The café brings in $500 a day.
- Costs added up quickly.
- They broke even in the first month.
- She paid off her loan last year.
🏗️ Key structures
- bring in ___ / cut back on ___ — The store brings in new customers. / We cut back on ads.
- add up / run out of ___ — The bills added up. / We ran out of coffee!
- break even / make ends meet — At first, they only broke even. / Nurses work hard to make ends meet.
⭐ Idiom & natural phrases
With two jobs, the family makes ends meet.
🔤 New words
when a business earns exactly what it spends — no profit, no loss
The shop broke even in March.
earn money; attract people or business
The new menu brought in more customers.
reduce the amount of something (money, food, time) — often with 'on'
We cut back on eating out.
reach a total when you count everything; also mean 'make sense'
The costs added up to $900.
use all of something so none is left
We ran out of gas on the highway.
borrow money from a bank, with a formal agreement
They took out a loan to buy the truck.
finish paying all of a debt
She paid off her student loan.
keep money little by little for a future goal
He's saving up for a motorcycle.
🎧 Say it with me
They took out a loan, the costs added up, and at first they only broke even. Now the truck brings in money, and they make ends meet!
🎤 Your turn to speak
Tell a mini business story: how a shop or project started (took out a loan / saved up), a hard moment (ran out of / cut back), and where it is now (break even / bring in).
Say it out loud three times. Even better: record it on your phone and listen — your ear is your best teacher.
✍️ Your turn to write
Write 5 sentences about a small business (real or imaginary). Use at least four items from this step.
See a model answer
My uncle opened a tiny bakery in Portland. He took out a small loan and bought a used oven. At first, the costs added up, and he only broke even. Then his bread started to bring in customers from the whole neighborhood. Last spring, he paid off the loan — now he makes a good living doing what he loves.
Self-check: capital letters? Full stops? Did you use the grammar of this step?
📝 Quick check
Go deeper
This step is a doorway — the full lesson goes much further:
Phrasal Verbs: The Grammar (separable or not?) — full lesson + 50-question quiz
🎉 Saved in your progress!