loose budget

USAGE SUMMARY

"loose budget" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to a budget that is not highly structured, controlled, or enforced. For example, "The company has a loose budget when it comes to travel expenses, so employees are encouraged to take full advantage of their trips."

✓ Grammatically correct

Management Accounting Research

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Combining a qualitative analysis and a cluster analysis, we identify five patterns of budget design and budget use: the yardstick budget, the coercive budget, the interactive budget, the loose budget and the indicative budget.

Management Accounting Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Despite Mr Obama's looser budget, about 60% of Americans think deficit reduction should be the government's main economic priority.Given all this, two schools of thought are emerging on timing.

The Economist

And at first glance, Greece does appear to have won looser budget targets, giving it greater economic breathing room.

Huffington Post

He supports bank taxes, looser budgets and less power for the Roman Catholic church.

The Economist

"I've played in France [whose looser budgets have prompted the increases]," Cockerill said.

The Guardian - Sport

Secondly, setting up the OBR means he doesn't have the ability to play fast and loose with the budget projections.

The Guardian - Business

"Bish Bosch" seems like the least restrained representation of his night brain, let loose upon a budget generous enough to let someone find the perfect farting for "Corps de Blah".

The New Yorker

But the Maastricht Treaty stopped short of telling countries how to handle spending or taxation, leaving them loose rules on budget deficits to follow — or break, as many did, including Germany and France in the early days of the euro.

The New York Times

First, while the European Central Bank (ECB) has recently done things to calm the financial market for the moment, it is not clear whether it will be able to repeat this act if the world economic situation gets worse – the Chinese economy is slowing down and the US may experience a double-dip recession if Mitt Romney wins and lets Paul Ryan loose on the budget.

The Guardian - Opinion

Best late night option for those who want to cut loose on a budget.

Vice

You have to be a lot more careful in Western Europe, where I got a little bit loose with my budget and spent $2,000 per month for two months.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a budget that allows for flexibility and adaptability, use "loose budget" to convey the idea that it is not rigidly enforced.

Common error

Avoid equating a "loose budget" with a complete lack of financial oversight. While it implies flexibility, it doesn't mean spending should be uncontrolled or unaccounted for.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "loose budget" functions as a noun phrase, where "loose" modifies the noun "budget". It describes a specific type of budget characterized by its flexibility and lack of strict control. Ludwig provides examples of its usage in academic and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "loose budget" is a valid and useful term for describing a financial plan that allows for flexibility and adaptation. As Ludwig highlights, this phrase is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While the term implies less strict control, it's important to note that it does not equate to a complete absence of oversight. Alternatives like "flexible budget" or "relaxed budget" can be used to convey similar meanings, depending on the specific nuance you wish to emphasize. Remember to use "loose budget" when you want to convey a financial plan that is not rigidly enforced but still subject to some level of control.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lax budget

Emphasizes a relaxed or lenient approach to budgeting and financial control.

soft budget

Implies a budget that is not strictly enforced, allowing for overspending or deviations.

relaxed budget

Similar to 'lax budget', suggesting a more casual approach to financial oversight.

vague budget

Indicates a lack of specificity or detail in the budget.

flexible budget

Highlights the adaptability and responsiveness of the budget to changing circumstances.

feeble budget

Suggests a weak or inadequate budget, often implying insufficient funding.

weak budget

Indicates a budget that is easily compromised or undermined.

free budget

Suggests a budget with minimal restrictions or limitations on spending.

loosen budget

Emphasizes the action of making a budget less strict or restrictive.

lose budget

Describes the situation when a budget gets lost or is mismanaged.

FAQs

How to use "loose budget" in a sentence?

You can use "loose budget" to describe a financial plan that is not strictly controlled, for example: "The department operates with a "loose budget", allowing managers to adapt to changing needs."

What can I say instead of "loose budget"?

Alternatives include "flexible budget", "relaxed budget", or "soft budget", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "loose budget" or "loosen budget"?

"Loose budget" (adjective + noun) describes a type of budget. "Loosen budget" (verb + noun) would describe the action of making a budget less strict.

What's the difference between "loose budget" and "uncontrolled spending"?

A "loose budget" implies flexibility within a financial plan, while "uncontrolled spending" suggests a complete absence of budgetary oversight and restraint.