What is "out of pocket"?

Hi there! Tell me, please, if something is out of my pocket, what does it mean? I also heard "outta pocket". What is that?

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Hello Marcinek, I will now explain the different meanings of the phrase 'out of pocket'. 1. The most common meaning is to explain the money you have to spend out yourself, that isn't paid by someone else. Example: If you claim on your insurance for a medical matter, the Insurance Company may pay 80% of the costs, but you would pay 20%. That means you are 'out of pocket' for 20% of the costs. (literally - the money came out of your trouser pocket). 2. Another meaning is to show you have lost money because of something that happened. Example: if you buy $50 tickets for a show, then the show is cancelled but the money is not paid back to you, you would be 'out of pocket' for $50. We can also use the phrase 'in your pocket' to say someone has full control of another person. Example: if a businessman has a politician 'in his pocket', it means he controls what that politician does. I hope both of my answers (meaning and pronunciation) have helped. Best wishes Laura

  • It implies something had an unjust financial cost.

  • Hello Marcinek, “Out of pocket” can mean two different things. 1. Paying for something that isn’t covered in a agreement. Health insurance is a great example because our insurance only covers a certain portion. Whatever the insurance doesn’t cover is “out of pocket”. Meaning you pay the rest. 2. “Out of pocket” or “outta pocket” is when someone says something extremely rude. You would say something along the lines of “that was out of pocket” Hope this helps!

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  • "Out of pocket" means that a person paying for a good or service will lose some amount of money 'X' directly as a result of a transaction. This payment is made using the buyer's personal funds so the money comes "out of pocket."

  • This phrase could have subjective interpretations depending on the situation one is in. For eg. in a monetary situation, it could mean that it’s out of budget or else one is going to pay for that thing themselves. However, in an interaction with a friend who spoke too much, way beyond what they should’ve said then this phrase would mean that they shouldn’t have said or done that, it’s too extreme on their part to have said or done it.

  • Usually "out of my pocket" means you are going to pay for that particular thing. If you say I am going to sponsor my fees out of my pocket, it means you are going to be responsible for your own fees payments

  • Short of cash !!

  • "Out of pocket” simply means you don't have the money at this time. Saying you don't have the money could mean you can not afford it! People do not like saying they cannot afford something because it makes them feel embarrassed.

  • To be out of pocket is to have lost money on a deal … an example is to agree to sell something for less than you bought it for … you’d be out of pocket Or you might give someone more than they are due… you’d be out of pocket … have less money than you should Hope this helps 👌

  • Hello Marcinek, Firstly, let me explain the different pronunciations you have heard of this phrase. 1. Out of pocket (owt-ov-pokit): This is the 'official' way to pronounce the phrase, and it is also the way you would write it in a text. 2. Outta pocket (owta-pokit): This is the way it is often pronounced in causal conversation. This represents a very informal way of saying it and should never be used in written English (although you might see it in song lyrics). Other words that we pronounce in this way are 'gonna - going to' and 'wanna - want to'. I will post another answer to explain the meanings for you. Best wishes Laura

  • Hey, Simply, you have no money/ you are broke / no money available. Hope this helps, message for if you need to ask any more questions. Dale

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