Bring home the bacon

[0485] In the red

🎲 In the black
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Operating at a financial loss; being in debt; expenditures exceeding income.

Origin

  • Stems from the traditional accounting practice of recording financial losses or debts using red ink.
  • Profits or positive balances were recorded in black ink. This color-coding practice is centuries old.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Operating at a loss
  • Losing money
  • In debt
  • Showing a deficit
  • Under water (Especially for debts larger than asset value, like mortgages)
  • In arrears (Behind on payments)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • In the hole (Very common synonym)
  • Bleeding money / Hemorrhaging cash (Implies rapid, significant loss)
  • Losing out
  • Up against it (financially)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • Totally fucked financially
  • Financially screwed
  • Up shit creek (Implies being in serious trouble, often financial)

Milder/Formal:

  • Experiencing a net loss
  • Reporting negative earnings / Negative cash flow
  • Liabilities exceed assets
  • Financially distressed

Situational Appropriateness

  • Appropriate in both informal and formal contexts, particularly in business, finance, and personal budget discussions.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Relatively straightforward. Ensure the listener understands red specifically signifies financial loss or debt in this idiom.

Examples

  • The startup has been in the red since it launched, hoping to turn profitable next year.
  • My checking account is in the red again after paying rent.

Dialogue

Accountant: Looking at these figures, the company finished the last quarter in the red.

Manager: Damn. I was afraid of that. Sales were really down. We need a new strategy.

Accountant: Agreed. Let's schedule a meeting to discuss options.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Freelancer life means sometimes your bank account dips in the red before a big invoice gets paid. Stressful! #freelance #finance
  • News Headline: Retail Giant Reports Unexpected Quarter in the Red Amidst Economic Downturn.
  • Forum Post (Personal Finance): Help! My budget is constantly in the red. What are the best budgeting apps?

Response Patterns

  • Expressing sympathy or concern: Oh no, that's tough. / Sorry to hear that.
  • Asking for details (if appropriate): How bad is it? / What happened?
  • Offering support or solutions: Is there anything I can do? / Do you have a plan to fix it?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • Discussing the reasons for the deficit (e.g., high expenses, low sales).
  • Brainstorming or discussing strategies to get back into profit or pay off debt.
  • Expressing hope for financial improvement.

Conversation Starter

  • No.
  • Used to report or describe a negative financial status.

Intonation

  • Typically said with concern, worry, or seriousness.
  • Stress on RED. in the RED.

Generation Differences

  • Standard financial terminology, understood by anyone dealing with finances across generations.

Regional Variations

  • Standard across all major English-speaking regions.
Bring home the bacon
🎲 In the black