Why buy a cow when the milk is free?

Today’s English
August 22nd, 2017

What was costly yesterday is cheap today.  Yes, let’s know today words and expressions related to cheap.  If you are charged less for products and services, it may be cheap, economical, inexpensive, low-priced, affordable, moderate, rock-bottom and  reasonable but at the same time, it may be poor in quality, substandard, second-rate, third-rate, fourth-rate, low-grade, inferior, worthless, useless, nondurable, vulnerable, rubbish and junky.  If it’s “cheap and cheerful”, it’s cheap and of good quality but if it’s “cheap and nasty,” it’s cheap and of poor quality.

1.How was your yesterday shopping- cheap and cheerful, or cheap and nasty?
2.Shit! He made us stay at a fourth-rate hotel.
3.Buying home has been made more affordable by our project.

There are three confusing idioms – cheap at half the price, cheap at double the price and “buy cheap, buy twice.”   The first one “cheap at half the price" (also known as cheap at the price) means that something is worth buying as investment and we needn’t worry about the cost, especially when we buy good books and shares.  The second one cheap at double the price represents that even if you double the price, it is cheap with reference to its value, extremely inexpensive. The third one –“buy cheap, buy twice" is actually a warning not to buy a worthless product offered at low price.

1.This book may cost above 1000 rupees, yet it’s cheap at half the price.
2.It’s clearance sale! You can buy most of the silk saris cheap at double the price.
3.I never buy anything sold by platform vendors.  Why should I fall a victim to buy cheap, buy twice.

If you buy something very cheaply, it’s “dirt cheap.”  You can also use the phrase “as cheap as chips" that too means “extremely inexpensive.”  But you should be very careful when the price is low because it may sometimes “fold like a cheap suitcase.” (=of poor quality)  Have you heard about the beautiful saying –“Why buy a cow when the milk is so cheap/free"?  If you like a free ride rather than buying a vehicle of your own, and visit a library rather than paying from your pocket for newspaper,  this saying is meant for you.
1.So amazing! Everything is dirt cheap here.
2.Dresses are as cheap as chips here.
3.Be careful before buying this!  It may fold like a cheap suitcase.
4.He has never paid for any newspaper. He firmly believes in, “why buy a cow when the milk is free?”

Just for fun!
Girl : it’s five years since we started to love each other.  When are you going to marry me? 

Boy: ………..

Girl: You always want kisses as cheap as chips.  Why do you keep silent now? What about our marriage? Tell me when?

Boy: Why buy a cow when the milk is free?

Girl: What?! Rascal…You….. (chasing)