No da puntada sin hilo

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Poli: it's not exactly by the book. This expression implies to have a second intention about what you do.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Angelica is on the ball. You get some benefit by doing it.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

It would be something like:
She doesn´t do anything for nothing.

[poli]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

It would be something like:
She doesn´t do anything for nothing.

This doesn't coincide with your post #5. Directly translated this means
without thread the needle doesn't sow.
A similar phrase is no ticket no laundry

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Originally Posted by poli

This doesn't coincide with your post #5. Directly translated this means
without thread the needle doesn't sow.
A similar phrase is no ticket no laundry

But the meaning is to not do anything for nothing

[poli]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

But the meaning is to not do anything for nothing

Sí, ahora entiendo. Es que su primera explicación nos devió.
If you want the peaches you have to buy the peaches./no ticket no laundry ( means without your receipt you don't get your merchandise)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"There is no free lunch" can have a similar meaning, just the nuance is the point of view:

"No dar puntada sin hilo"/"no dar paso sin huarache" means that someone does something that seems altruistic, but it hides a second intention to be benefited from it.

"There is no free lunch" is from the side of the person who takes an offer of something that seems to be free of charge, but in the end he/she will still have to pay for it.

[brute]

You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs?

[ROBINDESBOIS]

What the hell is that? What are you doing in my thread ?

[EmpanadaRica]

I think it' s probably one of those annoying bots placing links to erotic sites.
We used to have that a lot on a site I ran with two friends of mine until we chanhed the login procedure.

Either that or an actual person who is spamming crap..