(there) ain't no such thing as a free lunch

(there) ain't no such thing as a free lunch

proverb Nothing is ever really given away for free, so be wary of hidden charges, motives, or agendas. "There ain't no" is a colloquial way of writing "there is no," usually used for emphasis. Of course, once you're signed up to the free program, you have to pay for all sorts of extra services to make it even worth using. Ain't no such thing as a free lunch, after all. Sure, I could help get your application pushed through the committee, but there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. If I help you out, I'll be expecting something in return. Ain't no such thing as a free lunch in this country, pal. If you want money, you've gotta work for it!

See also: free, lunch, no, such, thing

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch

and TANSTAAFL

sent. & comp. abb. Careful, nothing is really free of charge. Of course, you have to pay extra for the data file. There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.

See also: free, lunch, no, such, there, thing

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.