Similes for broke can make the experience of having little or no money easier to picture—and sometimes a lot funnier to describe. Instead of simply writing “He was broke,” you can compare his financial situation to something empty, exhausted, or completely used up.
For example:
His wallet was as empty as a deserted parking lot.
The comparison immediately creates an image of having almost nothing left.
Being broke can mean different things depending on context. Someone might have enough money for basic needs but no spending money, while someone else might be completely out of cash. The strongest simile should match the degree of financial shortage and the tone of the writing
What Is a Simile for Broke?
A simile for broke compares having little or no money with something familiar, usually using like or as.
For example:
After paying the bills, I was as broke as a student at the end of the semester.
The comparison emphasizes how little money remains.
Broke-related similes can describe:
- An empty wallet
- Having no cash
- Running out of spending money
- Financial struggle
- Being unable to afford something
- Feeling financially drained
- Temporary money problems
- Humorous situations
65+ Similes for Broke
1. As broke as an empty wallet
A simple and direct comparison.
Example:
After paying the rent, I was as broke as an empty wallet.
2. Like a wallet after payday
This works humorously when money disappears quickly.
Example:
My bank account looked like a wallet after payday—already empty.
3. As empty as a deserted store
This emphasizes having nothing left.
Example:
His wallet was as empty as a deserted store.
4. Like a phone with no battery
A playful comparison for being completely drained.
Example:
After buying the tickets, I was broke like a phone with no battery.
5. As broke as a college student before payday
A familiar humorous comparison for having very little spending money.
Example:
By Friday, he was as broke as a college student waiting for payday.
6. Like a vending machine with no coins inside
This creates an obvious image of having nothing available.
Example:
My pockets were like a vending machine with no coins left.
7. As empty as an abandoned piggy bank
A strong image for having spent all your savings.
Example:
Her savings were as empty as an abandoned piggy bank.
8. Like a dry well
This suggests resources have completely run out.
Example:
His bank account was like a dry well.
9. As empty as a forgotten tip jar
A humorous image for having no money.
Example:
My wallet was as empty as a forgotten tip jar.
10. Like a gas tank on empty
A familiar comparison for being completely depleted.
Example:
After moving into the new apartment, my savings were like a gas tank on empty.
11. As broke as a pennyless pirate
A playful and exaggerated comparison.
Example:
After the shopping trip, I was as broke as a penniless pirate.
12. Like a cash register after closing time
This suggests there is no money readily available.
Example:
His wallet looked like a cash register after closing time.
13. As empty as a piggy bank after a shopping spree
A humorous comparison for spending everything.
Example:
Her piggy bank was as empty as it could be after the shopping spree.
14. Like a bank account after rent day
A relatable comparison for money disappearing after a major expense.
Example:
My account was like a bank account after rent day.
15. As broke as a joke with no punchline
A playful, deliberately exaggerated comparison.
Example:
After paying for dinner, I was as broke as a joke with no punchline.
16. Like a pocket with a hole in it
This suggests money disappears quickly.
Example:
His finances were like a pocket with a hole in it.
17. As empty as a refrigerator at the end of the month
A humorous comparison involving both money and everyday life.
Example:
My wallet was as empty as the refrigerator at the end of the month.
18. Like a fountain that has stopped flowing
This suggests money has stopped coming in.
Example:
His cash flow was like a fountain that had suddenly stopped.
19. As bare as an empty cash drawer
A direct image of having no money.
Example:
Her wallet was as bare as an empty cash drawer.
20. Like a treasure chest after pirates have left
A playful comparison for having spent everything.
Example:
His savings looked like a treasure chest after the pirates had left.
Funny Similes for Being Broke
Humor can make financial hardship relatable without making the description overly serious.
- Like a squirrel with no acorns
- Like a pirate without treasure
- Like a vending machine without coins
- Like a bank account allergic to money
- Like a wallet on a permanent diet
- Like a piggy bank after a shopping spree
- Like a cashier’s drawer after closing
- Like a treasure chest after a pirate raid
- Like a coin jar after laundry day
- Like a pocket full of receipts and regret
Example
My wallet was like a squirrel’s pantry after winter—nothing left.
Similes for Being Completely Broke
When the character has absolutely no money, stronger imagery works better.
- Like a dry well
- Like an empty piggy bank
- Like a desert with no water
- Like a gas tank on empty
- Like a vending machine with no coins
- Like an abandoned cash register
- Like an empty treasure chest
- Like a drained battery
- Like a cupboard after a long winter
- Like a bank account after every bill has cleared
Example
After the emergency repairs, his savings were as empty as a dry well.
Similes for Being Short on Money
Someone can be financially stretched without being completely broke.
- Like a rubber band pulled too tight
- Like a candle burning near the end
- Like a nearly empty gas tank
- Like a jar with only one coin left
- Like a grocery cart with more needs than dollars
- Like a calendar with too many bills marked on it
- Like a bridge carrying more weight than it was built for
- Like a faucet barely dripping
- Like a battery flashing its last warning
- Like a pocket holding its final coin
Example
By the end of the month, her budget was stretched like a rubber band pulled too tight.
Similes for an Empty Wallet
If you specifically want to describe the wallet rather than the person, these comparisons work well:
- As empty as a deserted room
- Like a hollow shell
- Like an abandoned nest
- Like an empty birdcage
- Like a dry well
- Like a drained battery
- Like an empty jar
- Like a cleared-out store
- Like a vacant parking lot
- Like a treasure chest after a raid
Example
His wallet felt as empty as an abandoned nest.
Similes for Losing All Your Money
When money disappears because of spending or unexpected expenses:
- Like water slipping through your fingers
- Like sand falling through an hourglass
- Like smoke disappearing into the air
- Like ice melting in the sun
- Like leaves carried away by the wind
- Like coins dropping into a bottomless well
- Like a river disappearing underground
- Like a candle burning down
- Like a balloon losing air
- Like a snowball melting on pavement
Example
Her paycheck disappeared like water slipping through her fingers.
Similes for Being Broke After Shopping
Shopping can provide a naturally humorous setting.
- Like a kid who spent every arcade token
- Like a piggy bank after a hammer
- Like a treasure chest after a pirate raid
- Like a wallet after Black Friday
- Like a vending machine after closing time
- Like a shelf after a clearance sale
- Like a coin jar after a shopping spree
- Like a bank account after a weekend getaway
- Like a phone after downloading every app
- Like a candy jar after a child’s birthday party
Example
After the shopping spree, my wallet looked like a piggy bank after a hammer.
Similes for Broke Characters
If you are writing fiction, the comparison can reveal personality.
A humorous character might say:
I’m as broke as a pirate without a treasure map.
A practical character might say:
My budget is stretched like a rubber band.
A dramatic character might complain:
My wallet is as empty as a desert.
A student might joke:
I’m as broke as a college student the day before payday.
The best choice depends on the character’s voice.
Similes for Being Broke at the End of the Month
End-of-month financial pressure has its own imagery.
- Like a phone at 1% battery
- Like a nearly empty gas tank
- Like a candle burning down to the wick
- Like a refrigerator after payday is forgotten
- Like a jar with one coin left
- Like a faucet reduced to a drip
- Like a battery flashing red
- Like a cupboard waiting for groceries
- Like a wallet full of receipts but no cash
- Like a well running dry
Example
By the last week of the month, my budget was like a phone stuck at 1% battery.
How to Choose the Right Simile for Broke
Not every financial situation is the same.
For completely broke
Choose imagery such as:
dry wells, empty wallets, drained batteries, abandoned stores
For temporarily short on cash
Choose:
nearly empty tanks, low batteries, loose coins, dripping faucets
For humorous writing
Try:
pirates, squirrels, piggy banks, vending machines, treasure chests
For serious writing
Use more restrained imagery:
tight budgets, depleted resources, shrinking reserves, empty accounts
The tone should fit the character and situation.
How to Create Your Own Similes for Being Broke
You can create stronger comparisons by focusing on what empty or depleted means in the situation.
1. Identify the degree of financial shortage
Is the character:
- Slightly short on cash?
- Waiting for payday?
- Unable to afford something?
- Completely out of money?
- Recovering from an unexpected expense?
2. Find something with a similar state
Something completely depleted could be:
- A dry well
- An empty battery
- An empty jar
- An exhausted fuel tank
3. Connect the two
For example:
After the repairs, my savings were like a dry well.
4. Match the tone
For comedy:
My wallet was on a strict diet.
For serious writing:
His savings had become as thin as a nearly empty reservoir.
5. Avoid exaggeration when accuracy matters
A funny simile can be intentionally dramatic, but serious writing benefits from imagery that matches the actual situation.
Common Mistakes When Writing Similes for Broke
Making every comparison about an empty wallet
Financial shortage can also be described through depletion, waiting, limited resources, or money disappearing quickly.
Making financial hardship into a joke
Humor works well in casual and creative writing, but serious situations may require more sensitive language.
Using the same comparison repeatedly
A dry well, empty wallet, and drained battery communicate similar ideas. Mix physical, visual, and humorous imagery.
Confusing “broke” with “cheap”
Being broke means having little or no money. Being cheap describes a person’s unwillingness to spend money. They are not the same thing.
Forgetting context
A funny pirate comparison might work in dialogue but feel inappropriate in a serious narrative.
Simile vs. Metaphor for Broke
A simile makes the comparison explicit:
His wallet was as empty as a desert.
A metaphor makes the comparison directly:
His wallet was a desert.
Both can communicate financial emptiness, but the simile uses like or as.
Quick List of Similes for Broke
- Like an empty wallet
- Like a dry well
- Like a drained battery
- Like a gas tank on empty
- Like an abandoned piggy bank
- Like a vending machine with no coins
- Like a deserted store
- Like a hollow shell
- Like an empty treasure chest
- Like a cash register after closing
- Like a pocket with a hole in it
- Like a fountain that stopped flowing
- Like a nearly empty jar
- Like a candle burning down
- Like water slipping through your fingers
- Like sand falling through an hourglass
- Like smoke disappearing into the air
- Like a balloon losing air
- Like a faucet reduced to a drip
- Like a squirrel with no acorns
- Like a pirate without treasure
- Like a wallet on a permanent diet
- Like a piggy bank after a shopping spree
- Like a cupboard waiting for groceries
- Like a bank account after rent day
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good simile for being broke?
“I was as broke as an empty wallet after paying all my bills.” It clearly communicates that little or no money remains.
What is a funny simile for broke?
“My wallet was like a squirrel’s pantry after winter—nothing left.” This gives the idea a playful tone.
What is a simile for having no money?
“His savings were like a dry well.” The comparison suggests that the available resources have been completely depleted.
What is a simile for an empty wallet?
“Her wallet was as empty as an abandoned nest.” The image communicates emptiness without simply repeating the word “empty.”
What is a simile for being short on money?
“My budget was stretched like a rubber band pulled too tight.” This suggests financial pressure without necessarily meaning the person has absolutely nothing.
What is a simile for money disappearing quickly?
“Her paycheck disappeared like water slipping through her fingers.” The comparison emphasizes how quickly the money was spent.
What is a simile for being broke after shopping?
“My wallet looked like a piggy bank after a hammer.” This creates a deliberately exaggerated humorous image.
Is “broke as a joke” a simile?
Yes. “Broke as a joke” is a familiar rhyming expression that uses as to create a comparison. It is playful and informal rather than a precise description of someone’s financial circumstances.
How do you create an original simile for being broke?
Think about what financial shortage looks or feels like. Compare it with something that is empty, depleted, stretched, or running out, then connect the two with like or as. For example, “My budget was like a candle burning down to its last inch.”
Conclusion
Being broke does not always look the same. Sometimes it means an empty wallet, sometimes a nearly exhausted budget, and sometimes money that disappears almost as soon as it arrives.
The strongest similes for broke turn those situations into recognizable images. A wallet can be as empty as a deserted room, savings can run dry like a well, and a paycheck can disappear like water slipping through your fingers.
For humorous writing, playful comparisons involving pirates, squirrels, piggy banks, and treasure chests can add personality. For serious writing, quieter imagery about depleted resources or shrinking reserves may work better.
Choose the comparison according to the situation, character, and tone, and the financial struggle will feel much more vivid to the reader.