The phrase ‘another day another dollar’ means that everything is ordinary, same routine. Nothing has changed and everything remains the same. It is often used by people who work in low-income or tedious jobs, and who feel they have no purpose or inspiration at work. The phrase has a sense of resignation and poverty attached to it.
The origin of the phrase is not very clear, but some sources suggest that it came from the workers who built the Panama Canal between 1903 and 1914. They were paid a dollar a day for their hard labor. The phrase was later popularized by a country song by Wynn Stewart in 1962, which reached the top 40 charts. The song expressed the frustration and boredom of working in a factory. The phrase was also used in a Volkswagen commercial in 2011, featuring a young man driving a Jetta to his office job.
The phrase is a proverbial expression that reflects the attitude of many people who are dissatisfied with their work and life. It is sometimes used ironically or humorously to make light of a bad situation. A similar phrase is ‘taking it day by day’.
