Table of Contents
on my dime
| Field | payphones |
| Went Obsolete | 1990s |
| Made Obsolete By | rising phone costs and free emergency calls from payphones |
| Knowledge Assumed | The knowledge needed to perform the skill |
| When useful | common phrase, idiom |
Long long ago, phone calls cost a dime for the first few minutes, so phrases referring to the cost of a phone call tended to refer to a dime. Jim Croche's song “Operator” mentions “and you can keep the dime” meaning he doesn't want the operator to refund the cost of the call (this was probably before calls to 911 or operator were free).
“On my dime” means “I'm paying for it”.
