money down the drain

money down the drain

Money that is wasted, squandered, or spent unnecessarily. My degree in literature has so far been a lot of money down the drain, as the only jobs I've been able to get have been in restaurants waiting tables. All of these gadgets you buy are just money down the drain, if you ask me.
See also: down, drain, money
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ˌmoney down the ˈdrain

(informal) a waste of money: Her father feels that all her expensive education will just be money down the drain if she gets a job in a cafe.
See also: down, drain, money
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • color of someone's money, see the
  • funny money
  • come into (some) money
  • come into money
  • be (right) on the money
  • be made of money
  • be pushed for money
  • for a while
  • be pressed for money
  • be pressed/pushed for money, space, time, etc.
References in periodicals archive
In reality, they are pouring money down the drain and giving away free products to someone who acquired a mass-following overnight," Anders Ankarlid, CEO of A Good Company, told PRWeek.
Indian Instagram influencers have over 16 million fake followers: Report
Having thrown vast sums of taxpayers' money down the drain and having repeatedly proven himself to be unfit for office, Failing Grayling must now resign - or be sacked.
High time failing Grayling sank without trace
If the projects are not revived and completed, this will be good money down the drain.The projects were being undertaken by ministries and state departments and agencies the most affected being dams for irrigation, roads, learning institutions, crop research and construction of courtrooms, among others.
Stalled projects a big waste
So, that was a cool PS85,000 of public money down the drain, thanks to Johnson's utter carelessness.
SUNDAY POLITICS; Chris Moncrieff has the Westminster latest ..
JUST another PS170m of public money down the drain.
PS170m mess ought to be rued
Otherwise it truly will be a case of money down the drain!
Blase about latest burst water main
Money down the drain? Perhaps that's the case for some investors, as a wide range of radio and TV companies each suffered big losses on Wall Street to end the week.
Bloody Friday For Media Stocks On Wall Street
Meanwhile, ever the shrewd business man, Martin realises his new market products are completely useless and he's just chucked a load of money down the drain.
Soap watch; Your guide to all the drama in the Square, on the cobbles and in the Dales
I find it galling to read about millions of pounds of "taxes" that hard working, ordinary folk have to hand over to a state-funded machine that, all too often, pours money down the drain in badly managed and executed public sector projects.
A legal issue, not moral one; Letters
Irish Water can forget about more media campaigns to improve because it is beyond repair and spending cash on public relations companies is simply money down the drain.
Irish Water sinking to new depths; COMMENT Park House, 191 - 197 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 Tel: 01 868 8600, Fax 01 868 8626, irishmirror.ie
You wouldn't throw your money down the drain and chucking food in the bin is exactly the same.
WE SAY
That premise led Greess to a new book Stop Spraying Money Down the Drain where he takes a closer look at the ways pest control companies can reduce downtime and change their costs on an ongoing basis.
New Guide Vows Productivity Boost for Pest Control Companies
It is time for the town to stop flushing our money down the drain. It is time for our Board of Selectmen to stop kicking the can down the road.
Holden must fix water leaks
It's time to stop pouring money down the drain, just like the missing water.
City centre needs a touch of greenery; Letters
One in 14 (7%) of users think they are currently "throwing money down the drain" by paying for unnecessary bills - equating to 3.6million people if the figures are projected across the country.
POUND NOTES