Save something for a rainy day

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Grammarist

To save something for a rainy day is an idiom that may be traced back to the 1500s. We will examine the meaning of the phrase to save something for a rainy day, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.

To save something for a rainy day means to set aside an asset with the idea of using it sometime in the future when it is needed. Usually, the asset being referred to is money. A person may say that he is saving something for a rainy day when he adds money to his savings account. Even people who live paycheck to paycheck can get into the habit of saving money for a rainy day, with some household savings plan strategies. Being frugal and managing your money results in having extra cash in one’s bank account. You don’t have to live like a pauper in order to save money for a rainy day. Budgeting family living expenses wisely and avoiding impulse purchases are the first steps in learning how to save something for a rainy day. Keep track of every dollar for a period of time in order to spot the best ways to save money in your household. One of many tricks that are useful when saving money is to cut back on one’s energy bill by lowering the thermostat. Installing a programmable thermostat that raises and lowers the temperature according to the time of day will pay off in the long run. Save money on groceries by shopping advertised sales, clipping coupons, and not wasting the food in your refrigerator. Pay off debt as quickly as possible in order to avoid interest payments. Instead of buying a new car, look into purchasing a well-maintained used car at a bargain price. At some companies, the employer will deposit your savings into an account for you every month, and may even match your savings. Take advantage of savings programs at work, as they are especially helpful in pursuing your financial goals for retirement savings. The are many ways to save money if you are willing to be thoughtful and creative. Structuring your personal finance and spending habits so that you are always saving something for a rainy day from your paycheck results in having savings in case of unexpected circumstances. The idiom save something for a rainy day can be traced to the mid-1500s, in an Italian play written by A. F. Grazzini called La Spiritata. The play was adapted into English by John Lyly and renamed The Bugbears: “Wold he haue me kepe nothing against a raynye day?” Related phrases are saves something for a rainy day, saved something for a rainy day, saving something for a rainy day.

Examples

SAVING for a rainy day may help homeowners wash away the blues, according to new research by Lloyds Bank. (The Henley Standard)

It is important to save for a rainy day, since savings can cushion you when you have urgent financial needs which may occur outside your normal salary cycle. (The Daily Nation)

“We’re still trying to save for a rainy day to ensure we can hold on to what we have,” said city CFO Matt Paulin, “and not go through anything we went through before, the horrific layoffs and service reductions.” (The Stockton Record)