If i had a nickel for every...., i would be.....

Hi,
Please check the following link:
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/if+i+had+a+nickel+for+every+time.html

Here is a typical rendition: Note - a nickel is a coin worth five cents.

If I had a nickel for every time a politician told a lie, I would be richer than Croesus.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/cm/g/gold_c

Thanks very much to both of you
The link dealing with Croesus's wealth was also interesting and a helpful suggestion for unders

Well, perhaps today, we would be more likely to say "Bill Gates."

Hello. What if I say ' If I had a nickel for every time ...., I would still have a nickel/ be poor

I mean, I'm trying to ask is this idiom only used for positive way or is it always used to expres that thing happens a lot?

Thanks.

AlpheccaStarsWell, perhaps today, we would be more likely to say "Bill Gates."

Definitely.. so, it is up to us which millionaire or millionairess to use in that expression

OK, we can make the case for poverty:

If I were poor, and got a nickel for every time the moon crashed into the earth, I would still be poor.
If I had a nickel, and got another nickel for every time the moon crashed into the earth, I would still have a nickel.

The idiom was originally used for things that happen often, like "If I had a nickel for every time a politician lied, I'd be a millionaire" but it can be turned around and used IRONICALLY: "If I had a nickel for every time you helped me, I'd have a nickel". In other words, "You've only helped me once, ever". In this case, it is used in a joking way.