purse strings
Spending decision power
Purse strings refers to control over spending or financial resources.
The image is of a drawstring bag that can be opened or closed: to hold the purse strings is to control the money, while to loosen the purse strings is to spend more freely and to tighten the purse strings is to restrict spending.
Congress controls the federal purse strings.
Plan for spending
- spendingOutlaying of funds
- financesMonetary affairs
- fundsAvailable financial resources
- allocationDistribution of shares
expenditure · disbursement · oversight · management · stewardship · authority · decision-making · approval
Make more secure
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- cutbacksReductions in spending
- frugalityEconomical resource management
- limitationBound on extent
constraint · rationing · reduction · curtailment · freeze · cap · savings · belt-tightening
Power to affect others
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- cloutInformal power or punch
- swayRock back and forth
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
grip · hold · reins · command · veto power · final say · bargaining chip · negotiation
budget
Plan for spending
allocation · expenditure · disbursement · oversight · management · stewardship · authority · decision-making · approval · veto
tighten
Make more secure
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- cutbacksReductions in spending
- frugalityEconomical resource management
limitation · constraint · rationing · reduction · curtailment · freeze · cap · savings · belt-tightening · scrimping
influence
Power to affect others
dominance · grip · hold · reins · command · veto power · final say · bargaining chip · negotiation · dependency
purse stringsblank check
Unrestricted authority document
free spending · spending spree · carte blanche · profligacy · extravagance
purse stringseasy money
Profit gained effortlessly
accessible funds · liquid assets · financial freedom · no strings attached · windfall
purse stringsallowance
Fixed periodic payment
stipend · handout · begging bowl · hat in hand · supplicant
purse, string, strings, purses, pursed, pursing, purser, stringed, stringing