put butter on one's bread

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1. (idiomatic, informal) To earn money.
   • 1933, Ishbel Ross, Marriage in Gotham, page 71:

     "Well, it won't put butter on our bread," said another.

   • 1934, America - Volume 50, page 282:

     An author has the obligation of keeping himself alive, and it does not put any butter on his bread to get his books from the public library.

   • 1947, Soviet Literature, page 8:

     D'ye think those savages who've been putting butter on our bread are coming to trade with you or me if we are not ready to sell at a loss?

   • 1998, Dana Stabenow, Killing Grounds, →ISBN, page 80:

     This situation isn't putting any butter on our bread, either.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see put,‎ butter,‎ bread.