cut (one's) coat to suit (one's) cloth

cut (one's) coat to suit (one's) cloth

To shop or act in accordance with one's financial limitations. You'll go bankrupt unless you start cutting your coat to suit your cloth. I know you don't want to lay off any of your workers, but you've got to cut your coat to suit your cloth to keep the business afloat. If you want to buy a house, you need to cut your coat to suit your cloth and really save your money.

See also: cloth, coat, cut, suit, to

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