hold the purse strings

hold the purse strings

To dictate the spending of a given group, such as a family, company, country, etc. After my dad's gambling problem came to light, my mother started holding the purse strings. The finance department holds the purse strings around here.
See also: hold, purse, string
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hold the purse strings

COMMON If you hold the purse strings, you control the way that money is spent in a particular family, organization, or country. Six out of ten women think that financial institutions treat them like idiots, even though they usually hold the domestic purse strings. Note: People sometimes use control instead of hold. His department controls the purse strings, and he will make sure that other departments spend money to meet targets he has set. Note: This expression is often varied. For instance, you can talk about someone's hold on the purse strings or control of the purse strings. His manager was in sole control of the purse strings.
See also: hold, purse, string
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hold the purse strings

have control of expenditure.
See also: hold, purse, string
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

control/hold the ˈpurse strings

(informal) be the person who controls the amount of money spent and the way in which it is spent: I’m the one who controls the purse strings in this office, and you must come to me if you want any more money.
See also: control, hold, purse, string
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • control the purse strings
  • control/hold the purse strings
  • since when
  • Since when?
  • be out of fix
  • transit
  • in transit
  • by the numbers
  • out of fix
  • moral support
References in periodicals archive
She said: "Most of the people who hold the purse strings are not women.
Actress plays leading role in equality challenge
Summary: New Delhi [India], Oct 24 (NewsVoir): Women are the engines of the economy, driving more than 80 percent of all consumers spending and also hold the purse strings for all the major decisions that get taken in the household.
Jigsaw to organise first ever discussion on women consumers in Mumbai
When rumors reach him that funding for the program is going to be cut and that the politicians who hold the purse strings have ties to his former workplace, the opportunity to retaliate is too promising to pass up.
Hag-Seed
Alan Simpson: "If our kids are starving during school holidays, the goverment are to blame, they hold the purse strings."
TOP COMMENT
Because they hold the purse strings to the Welsh Assembly.
Labour failed to bat back lies about them; LETTERS
With elections in May voters can let politicians know what we think about how those who hold the purse strings look after our health care.
NHS must not fall ill; VOICE OF THE DAILY Mirror
Economic policy may have a growing role in promoting sustainable food production, but those who hold the purse strings need to be persuaded on agroeco's profitability, observes Danielle Nierenberg, co-founder of FoodTank: The Food Think Tank (www.FoodTank.org).
WordBuzz: agroeco
While companies face an element of pressure in terms of access to cash for investment, with banks continuing to hold the purse strings tightly, the north Sea continues to perform well, with only a little over half its resource having been exploited to date.
oil and GAS
Those who hold the purse strings at the station have decided the likes of Twitter and Facebook are adequate as forums for public debate, and have cited dwindling audience figures as a reason for axing the phone-in.
Phone-in axe is bad news for Real; TALKING STRAIGHT DELME PARFITT
Alan Holmes, project director for NEA2F, said: "Young and ambitious businesses will have the opportunity to put their business plans in front of the people who hold the purse strings."
Guide to new funding
In many households they hold the purse strings and feel the pinch more acutely over childcare support and other benefit changes.
Women are turning against David [...]
Did you hold the purse strings too tight and try to sell Steven Gerrard?
Academy must nurture talent
"We are waiting to hear from Celtic's board about the final decision because they hold the purse strings.
Hoops move is Par-adise
I suppose I am also dreading having to hold the purse strings when we do get married.
Fianc is so bad with cash
The Tory and LibDem government are telling us a lot about how all General Practitioners are to hold the purse strings for their patient's entire treatment in the NHS.
GPs not accountants; MAILBAG