# mad money

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/mad-money
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A sum of money, often relatively small in amount, kept in reserve to use for impulsive, frivolous purposes.

## Examples

- I keep some mad money in my drawer for small treats.
- She always sets aside a little mad money from her paycheck to spend on whatever she likes during the weekend.
- Although they lived on a strict budget, he insisted on keeping a small amount of mad money tucked away for those rare, spontaneous moments of indulgence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.