affordable expense

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "affordable expense" is not correct in standard English usage.
The term "affordable" typically describes something that is reasonably priced, while "expense" refers to a cost or expenditure, making the combination contradictory. Example: "While the service is of high quality, the affordable expense makes it accessible to many."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Private school was not an easily affordable expense for someone whose income came largely from short stories for The New Yorker.

The New York Times

If you've got $250,000 or more to invest you qualify for shares with a more affordable expense ratio of 1.5%.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Trouble on the streets means political trouble and ill-affordable expense for the coalition.

The Guardian

This is attributed to the improvements in theory and computing infrastructure that enable the analysis of systems of unprecedented size and detail at an affordable computational expense.

Journal of Catalysis

Now you can get it in all 50 states, and it's very affordable: Annual expenses are just 88 cents per $100 of assets.

Forbes

Any promoter or boxer's pay-per-view hopes rest, for now, on people uniting in groups that will make the expense affordable.

The New York Times - Sports

High-energy foods are increasingly being consumed by low-income groups as they are more affordable, at the expense of foods with important micronutrients.

Unicef

Many current residents will be eligible to move into other affordable units, with expenses paid by the city.

The Washington Post

These savings help keep car expenses affordable, despite car insurance premiums that are slightly higher than the national average.

HuffPost

Gardens are great, but not at the expense of affordable housing.

The New York Times

"The fact that some of these players are trying to further maximize their profit, again at the expense of affordable housing in the city, is pretty horrifying".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing costs, favor specific and descriptive terms like "reasonable cost" or "budget-friendly expenditure" over the less precise "affordable expense" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid combining adjectives like "affordable" directly with nouns like "expense" when a more specific description of the cost is possible. Instead of saying "affordable expense", describe the nature of the cost by using phrases like "reasonable cost" or "low price".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "affordable expense" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "affordable" attempts to modify the noun "expense". However, according to Ludwig AI, this combination is not considered standard English usage, as "expense" already implies a cost, making "affordable" redundant or awkward.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "affordable expense" appears in various sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI points out that the term is redundant, as "expense" inherently implies a cost. Better alternatives, such as "reasonable cost" or "low cost", offer greater clarity and precision. The phrase's rare occurrence and neutral register suggest that while understandable, more appropriate wording should be favored, especially in formal or professional contexts. Despite some usage in news and media, clearer and more standard alternatives should generally be preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reasonable cost

Replaces "expense" with "cost", focusing on the amount required, implying fairness and justification.

low cost

Uses "low" instead of "affordable", directly indicating that the price is not high.

economical outlay

Substitutes both words for more formal alternatives. "Economical" stresses value for money. "Outlay" implies a financial expenditure.

budget-friendly expenditure

Replaces "affordable" with a more descriptive term, while retaining "expenditure", which has a slightly more formal tone.

cost-effective spending

"Cost-effective" emphasizes value in relation to the money spent. "Spending" is a general term for outlaying money.

inexpensive purchase

"Inexpensive" directly implies that the item or service doesn't cost much. "Purchase" suggests the action of buying.

cheap price

Uses "cheap" and "price" for a simpler and more direct way to indicate low monetary value.

accessible fee

"Accessible" suggests something is easy to obtain or use. "Fee" specifies a charge for a service.

manageable payment

"Manageable" indicates that something is within one's ability to handle or afford. "Payment" is a specific instance of spending money.

discounted rate

"Discounted" suggests a reduction from the standard price. "Rate" is often used in the context of services or fees.

FAQs

Is "affordable expense" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "affordable expense" is not considered grammatically ideal. It's better to use phrases like "reasonable cost" or "low price".

What phrases can I use instead of "affordable expense"?

Consider using alternatives such as "reasonable cost", "low cost", or "budget-friendly expenditure" to convey the same idea with greater clarity.

Why is "affordable expense" not the best choice of words?

The word "expense" already implies a cost, so describing it as "affordable" can be redundant or semantically awkward. Using alternatives provides a clearer description of the price point.

How can I use "affordable" and "expense" in a sentence correctly?

Instead of "affordable expense", you could say "The company made efforts to keep its business expenses affordable". In this case, "affordable" modifies the phrase "business expenses".