spending money

American  

noun

1. money for small personal expenses.

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spending money British  

noun

1. an allowance for small personal expenses; pocket money

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Etymology

Origin of spending money

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

"People are more cautious about spending money, so we're seeing tourism businesses react by cutting prices, improving their cafes. It's great that they've opened this up to the local people by making it free."

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Chief among the locals' complaints is that the tourists are not spending money in the area -- they simply show up, snap their selfies and leave.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

In some cases, OpenAI critics have said certain financing arrangements are circular in nature, with the company’s partners providing funding and the company spending money on computing with that partner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

I can afford to spend more than I do — in fact, I could buy just about anything I want — but I have great difficulty actually spending money.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

As soon as they start throwing up, they quit spending money.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen