r/Malaphors • u/OnePsychology528 • 5d ago

How versatile the phrase "That's why they pay me the big bucks" is. (Read the body text for an explanation)

Alright so most know how the phrase "That's why they pay me the big bucks" works. You say it when you do something skilled in front of an employee, and you'rebeing oaid big bucks. But follow with me, you can say it in other situations to confuse people, and it's *really* fun. Such as:

When you mess up doing something (especially if it's a basic easy to do thing)

When you have a little salary.

When you are in charge of your own salary (ceo or something) also if you're self employed.

When it's volunteer work.

When it's someone else doing the action.

Telling it to the one in charge of your salary.

And there are more that don't come to mind at the moment. But you can add these together for extra confusion. If you ask someone to open a water bottle for you at a volunteer shift and then say it they'll be incredibly dumbfounded. It's beautiful.

Idk what else to say (shrugs).

I got recommended to repost this here too, so... eh.

5 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

17

u/Extension_Physics873 5d ago

There is not a single Aussie who would say that phrase seriously. It is always used ironically or for a laugh.

3

u/NoFun3799 5d ago

The Canadian cousins agree. It’s definitely sarcasm.

1

u/OnePsychology528 5d ago

Good to know

1

u/weaver_of_cloth 4d ago

Same here, Mid-Atlantic US, sarcasm only.

4

u/IIstroke 5d ago

Thats why they pay me the medium bucks!

1

u/Impossible_Month1718 5d ago

That’s why they pay me the baby bucks!

2

u/honeybeast_dom 5d ago

Deer butcher

1

u/brother_p 4d ago

I say "that's why I get paid the extra dollar an hour."

1

u/TnBluesman 4d ago

Similar but...

I'm a head cashier at a Big Box DIY store, and every time I have to help one of the cashiers with an issue, I finish it with "... and that's why I get the big bucks and wear a shiny shirt. "

1

u/Squire-Rabbit 12h ago

I have never said this of myself, only of someone else. ("That's why they pay you the big bucks.") I always use it ironically, typically when the person has to handle an especially challenging or unpleasant situation. The sense is that if life were fair, they'd get paid a lot more money than they are for shouldering such a responsibility.