collocation · neutral
spend money on
UK/spɛnd ˈmʌni ɒn/US/spɛnd ˈmʌni ɑn/SPEND MO·ney on
to use money to buy or pay for something
Examples
“I prefer to spend money on experiences rather than stuff.”
“They spent a lot of money on repairs last month.”
“Many students spend money on coffee during exam season.”
Band 8 sentence
“Rather than splurging on gadgets, I prefer to spend money on travel because experiences last longer.”
Collocations
- spend money on + noun / gerund
- spend a lot of money on
- spend money wisely
Word family
Common mistakes
I spend money for a new phone.→I spent money on a new phone.
I spend money to buy food every day.→I spend money on food every day.
I bought a lot of things; I spent a lot.→I bought a lot of things; I spent a lot of money.
Say it for a higher band
5buy→6pay for→7+spend money on
Synonyms
pay for
buy
Easily confused
pay for
“I paid for the concert tickets yesterday.”
save up for
“I'm saving up for a laptop.”
Related words
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In Shopping & Money
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