on the cheap

Idioms

Economically, at very little cost, as in We're traveling around Europe on the cheap. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said they could stay in his lodge and encouraged Kaye to buy presents from a friend who could get things on the cheap.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

While crypto prices have recovered from last week’s lows, there still seems to be no rush to pick up coins on the cheap, IG analyst Chris Beauchamp said in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

"Let me be clear -– this proposal was an attempt to take BlueScope from its shareholders on the cheap," BlueScope chair Jane McAloon said in a statement released late Wednesday.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

Check with the other bridesmaids and see how much they spent on their dresses, where they purchased their gowns, and if they have any suggestions for similar versions on the cheap.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025

I shut my eyes, waiting for him to switch on the cheap nightstand lamp, but he kept to his rule: no lights outside the bathroom.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023