All Ears English Podcast AEE 2517: Did You Spend a Fortune? How to Talk About Your Expensive Purchases
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Nov 20, 2025 The hosts dive into the world of expensive purchases, discussing everyday items like cocktails and avocado toast that 'cost a fortune.' They clarify when to use this phrase in conversation and explore its meaning relative to expectations. Listeners learn variations of the expression and engage in role play to master pronunciation. Tips for discussing prices, inflation, and polite complaints about costs round out the conversation, making it a fun and insightful listen.
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Cost Is Relative To Expectation
- "To cost a fortune" means something feels very expensive relative to what you expect.
- The phrase applies to small items like avocado toast and big purchases like houses based on context.
Dentist's $20 Cocktail Complaint
- Lindsay shares a dentist office conversation about $20 cocktails feeling expensive.
- She uses this to illustrate how common it is to call everyday items "a fortune."
Use 'Small Fortune' For Smaller Big Prices
- Use "cost a fortune" for things that feel overpriced to you, whatever the absolute price.
- Use "cost a small fortune" for smaller but still surprisingly pricey items like coffee or avocado toast.