English

Proverb

money doesn't grow on trees

1. Wealth cannot be obtained without some effort; hence currency is not always available for a prospective purchase.
   • 1943, William Budington Duryee, Farming for security‎, Page 187

     Perhaps it was a Scotsman who, in response to an idea for lavish expenditure, first said "Money doesn't grow on trees".

   • 1975, Kiplinger's Personal Finance‎, [Page 39]

     Today's money worries certainly should make it easier for parents to teach their children that money doesn't grow on trees.

   • 2005, Kathie Rechkemmer, I Want to Teach My Child about Money Page 28

     Money doesn't grow on trees — and even the paper for money isn't made of wood!

Synonyms

• there's no such thing as a free lunch

Translations

References

• Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, 1996, ISBN 0-679-44554-4, p. 235.