Didn't have two nickels to rub together

Meaning

A vivid way to describe someone who is extremely broke or lacking money. It paints a picture of someone so poor they cannot even produce a clinking sound with their change.

Empathetic, folksy

Used in a sentence

• Back when we started, we didn't have two nickels to rub together.
• He came to town not having two nickels to rub together, and now he owns the bank.
• You cannot expect a big donation from him, he never had two nickels to rub together.