cut coat according to cloth


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

To shop or act in accordance with one's financial limitations. You'll go bankrupt unless you start cutting your coat according to your cloth.See also: accord, cloth, coat, cut

cut one's coat according to one's cloth

 and cut one's coat to suit one's clothProv. to plan one's aims and activities in line with one's resources and circumstances. We would like a bigger house, but we must cut our coat according to our cloth. They can't afford a vacation abroad—they have to cut their coat according to their cloth.See also: accord, cloth, coat, cut