- Describes money that someone has recently received or has available and is very eager to spend.
- Implies an impatience or inability to hold onto money without spending it.
Explanation
Origin
- Idiom dating back to at least the early 19th century.
- Creates a vivid image: the desire to spend the money is so strong ('hot') that it feels like it's literally burning through the fabric of the pocket where it's kept.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Got money to blow
- Ready to make it rain (Slang for spending money freely, often by throwing it)
- Spending like there's no tomorrow (Describes the act, not the feeling beforehand)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Not typically expressed with vulgarity, the idiom itself is quite strong.
Milder/Formal:
- Eager to spend
- Having difficulty saving
- Impulsive with spending
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal. A common, well-understood idiom.
- Acceptable in most everyday conversations. Probably avoid in very formal financial discussions.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Purely idiomatic. Learners need to understand it refers to the *desire* to spend, not a physical event.
Examples
- He just got paid, and the money is burning a hole in his pocket.
- That bonus was burning a hole in my pocket, so I bought a new laptop.
- Don't give the kids their holiday money too early; it'll just burn a hole in their pockets.
Dialogue
Dad: Here's your birthday money, son. Twenty quid.
Son: Awesome! Thanks, Dad!
Mom: (Smiling) Uh oh. I bet that's already burning a hole in his pocket.
Dad: (Chuckles) Try not to spend it all in the first shop, okay?
Son: No promises! There's a new video game I want...
Social Media Examples
- Twitter: Payday! This money is burning a hole in my pocket. What should I treat myself to? 🤔 #payday #shopping
- Facebook status: Gave my nephew some birthday cash, you could practically see it burning a hole in his pocket on the way to the toy store! 😂
- Reddit comment: I just got a tax refund and it's burning a hole in my pocket. Trying to be responsible but... SALE! #money #spending
Response Patterns
- Amusement/Agreement: Haha, I know the feeling!, Typical!, What are you going to buy?
- Mild warning: Try to save some of it!, Don't spend it all at once!
- Sharing intent: Yeah, I'm already thinking about...
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- Asking about intended purchases: What have you got your eye on?, Spending it on anything good?
- The person whose pocket has the 'hole' might talk about what they want to buy or have just bought.
Conversation Starter
- No. It's a comment about someone's (often one's own) relationship with recently acquired money.
Intonation
- Can be said humorously, knowingly, or slightly disapprovingly depending on context.
- Stress often falls on BURN, HOLE, and POCK-et.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood and used across all generations.
Regional Variations
- Common in all major English-speaking regions.