Nice ways to say you're broke

Suffering from empty wallet syndrome after the Christmas season? Telling people that you’ve no money can be a little embarrassing. Here are some alternative phrases that should come in handy if you have to explain your situation or turn down an invitation for financial reasons. 

1. I’m running a little low on funds 
2. I’m feeling the pinch at the moment 
3. I’m temporarily in the red 
4. I’m nearly running on empty 
5. My resources are a little depleted 
6. My bank balance is a little bit strained 
7. My finances are a little strained at the moment 
8. I’m a little cleaned out at the moment 

English language tip for talking about money

A typical mistake made by Swedish native speakers is to use the word “economy” instead of “finances”. The word “economy” in English is used to describe finances on a national or international scale. “Finances” is the word used to describe an individual’s financial situation. Example: Rather than translating directly from Swedish and saying “I have a good economy”, say “I am in a good position financially” or “I am comfortable financially”. Alternatively, you could say "I am not in a good position financially" or "I am not very comfortable financially".   

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