Turn your pennies twice
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (346478)
Rockingham, Australia
February 19, 2025 8:42am CST
I wrote recently about a saying I hadn’t heard before. Our German friend used it. Translated from her native language, it was ‘making an elephant out of a mouse’.
Tonight, she used another one she’d translated and that we hadn’t heard before. We were talking bout being frugal and making every penny count. She said in Germany they would talk about ‘turning a penny twice’. I can imagine my family saying this as they were very careful with their money.
The photo shows our friend when we first met her over 20 years ago. It was one of her first encounters with a kangaroo.
23 people like this
23 responses
@lilacskies (4246)
• United States
19 Feb
That is an interesting saying. It applies to me because I definitely live frugally.
4 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (48556)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
19 Feb
Making an elephant out of a mouse would be about the same as making a mountain out of a molehill...
But that turning a penny twice? I don't know... Canada stopped minting pennies in 2013, and I saw something about the US going that route, too. Do you still have pennies in Aus?
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (48556)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
22h
@JudyEv You had 2cent pieces? 
What did you call them?
We always called the 1 cent pieces 'pennies', easier to say, and the 5 cent pieces we still call nickles and 10 cents are dimes, 25 cents are quarters.
What did you call them?
We always called the 1 cent pieces 'pennies', easier to say, and the 5 cent pieces we still call nickles and 10 cents are dimes, 25 cents are quarters.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
8h
@BarBaraPrz We called them one cents and 2 cents. We don't have nicknames for any of the decimal currency coins but the former currency had some nicknames - crown as one - 2/6d I think. I can't remember them now. 
@DaddyEvil (141732)
• United States
19 Feb
She looks like she was enjoying herself. 
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (141732)
• United States
20 Feb
@JudyEv Of course. They're beautiful animals.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (3563)
• India
19 Feb
It is definitely fun to learn about different cultures and different figures of speech. It is always interesting when sayings in one language when translated can have such vivid imagery. It can be funny at times. “Turning a penny twice” is a fun way to describe frugal living. It does paint picture of careful expenses. I definitely love how language connects to our personal memories. I can plan to adopt to adopt some of the expressions into my conversations. I would love to watch the faces of my friends. Well, enjoy the day!
3 people like this
@allknowing (140934)
• India
20 Feb
We often say making a mountain out of a mole hill Not heard about the penny turning twice but something like every penny counts
2 people like this
@allknowing (140934)
• India
20 Feb
@JudyEv Remember the expression 'Spend a penny?' (lol)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Feb
@allknowing Yes, that's a totally different meaning, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (113232)
• El Paso, Texas
19 Feb
I haven't heard either of those. I have heard the saying about 'an elephant in the room' and as for pennies, I've heard 'a penny earned is a penny saved' ..... it's hard to say if anyone here says stuff like that because most of my neighbors are hispanic and many don't speak English.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (71476)
• United States
20 Feb
We say “making a mountain out of a molehill,” but the sentiment is the same. M
I’m ridiculously strange with what I’ll be “stingy” about when spending money, versus blowing it.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (42439)
• United States
19 Feb
That's good advice for everyone who wants to save money.
3 people like this
@JordanLader (5482)
• Sparta, Tennessee
19 Feb
I can honestly say that I've never heard that one. The other one sounds vaguely familiar though. Making an elephant out of a mouse.
2 people like this
@JordanLader (5482)
• Sparta, Tennessee
20 Feb
@JudyEv That's probably why it sounds familiar
1 person likes this
@Beestring (14921)
• Hong Kong
19 Feb
Very nice photo.
This is the first time I heard of this saying.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (162227)
• United States
19 Feb
That one about the pennies is new to me. The other one compares to making a mountain out of a mole hill.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Feb
Our friend left Germany years ago but has obviously brought some of her sayings with her.
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Feb
Everyone we had stay with us loved seeing kangaroos.
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
8h
This one is one of those in a way,, I guess, or maybe it's just not a terribly good translation.
@MarieCoyle (40958)
•
20 Feb
This reminded me of one of my grandmothers, who taught us ''find a penny, pick it up, all day long, you'll have good luck'' and I remember that even now. I always pick up pennies when I see them, because of this saying, and my mind always goes to her saying that.
I find kangaroos fascinating, but of course they are not native to the US. I've only seen them in zoos.
Thanks for the penny memory, Judy.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (40958)
•
20 Feb
@JudyEv
Oh, I bet a lot of people have tried to pick up that coin!! How frustrating! 
1 person likes this
@somewitch (2097)
•
19 Feb
I didn't know kangaroos could be petted!
Flipping the coins twice as in "thinking twice before spending them"? That's interesting. My first impression was more like checking if the pennies have no printing errors that increase their value.
Flipping the coins twice as in "thinking twice before spending them"? That's interesting. My first impression was more like checking if the pennies have no printing errors that increase their value. 1 person likes this
@JudyEv (346478)
• Rockingham, Australia
22h
@somewitch Yes, wild ones can get quiet especially if you leave feed out for them. They gradually lose their fear of you.
1 person likes this
@somewitch (2097)
•
23h
@JudyEv Can wild kangaroos get used to humans or does that apply to animals in zoos, sanctuaries etc only?
1 person likes this
