Beer money is the nickname for an allowance, established in the year 1800, that was given to non-commissioned officers and soldiers in the British Army. The practice was started at the suggestion of the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Beer money payments were 1 penny per day and was a replacement for a daily issuance of beer or spirits while troops were on home service. The allowance continued until 1873 when it was rolled into the soldier's daily pay.
The phrase "beer money" is still used in England as a colloquialism for personal money set aside for entertainment, such as going to a pub.
Famous quotes containing the words beer and/or money:
“prohibition makes you
want to cry
into your beer and
denies you the beer
to cry into”
—Don Marquis (1878–1937)
“Johnny Clay: You like money. You got a great big dollar sign there where most women have a heart. So play it smart. Stay in character and you’ll have money. Plenty of it. George’ll have it and he’ll blow it on you. Probably buy himself a five-cent cigar.
Sherry Peatty: You don’t know me very well, Johnny. I wouldn’t think of letting George throw his money away on cigars.”
—Stanley Kubrick (b. 1928)