English idioms about money and luck

1. For peanuts

   For a very small amount of money.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Pour des cacahuètes
   • DE Für ’n Appel und ’n Ei
   • ES Por cuatro perras
   • IT Per un tozzo di pane
   • JA 雀の涙

2. Cost an arm and a leg

   To cost a huge amount of money.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Coûter les yeux de la tête
   • DE Eine Stange Geld kosten
   • ES Costar un ojo de la cara
   • IT Costare un occhio della testa
   • JA 目の玉が飛び出るほど高い

3. Buy a pig in a poke

   To buy or agree to something without checking it first.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Acheter chat en poche
   • DE Die Katze im Sack kaufen
   • ES Dar gato por liebre
   • IT Comprare a scatola chiusa

4. Hit the jackpot

   To be lucky, often by pure chance.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Avoir de la veine
   • DE Schwein haben
   • ES Tener potra
   • IT Nascere con la camicia
   • JA 棚からぼたもち

5. Keep your fingers crossed

   To hope that things turn out well.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Croiser les doigts
   • DE Die Daumen drücken
   • ES Cruzar los dedos
   • IT Incrociare le dita

6. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

   Don't count on a good result before it has actually happened.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué
   • DE Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben
   • ES No vender la piel del oso antes de cazarlo
   • IT Non dire gatto se non ce l’hai nel sacco
   • JA 捕らぬ狸の皮算用

7. When pigs fly

   It will never happen.

   Elsewhere

   • FR Quand les poules auront des dents
   • DE Wenn Ostern und Pfingsten auf einen Tag fallen
   • ES Cuando las ranas críen pelo
   • IT Quando gli asini voleranno
   • JA 太陽が西から昇っても

Phrases in bold with a red marker are written up. The rest are waiting for their own page and a check by a native speaker.