The idiom "a day late and a dollar short" means that someone is too late to take advantage of an opportunity or solve a problem, and even if they had arrived on time, they wouldn't have had enough resources to make a difference.
For example, if someone is trying to buy a concert ticket and they arrive at the venue after the concert has already started, they are a day late and a dollar short. Even if they had the money to buy the ticket, it wouldn't matter because the concert has already started and they can't attend it.
This idiom is used to express disappointment, frustration, or regret when someone has missed an opportunity or failed to act in a timely manner. It can also be used to describe a situation where someone is unable to make a meaningful contribution due to a lack of resources or preparation.
• The company finally decided to invest in social media marketing, but it's a day late and a dollar short as their competitors are already way ahead.
• I forgot to buy tickets for the concert, so now we're a day late and a dollar short.
• I missed the bus and now I'm a day late and a dollar short for my appointment.
• My friend finally decided to start saving for retirement, but he's a day late and a dollar short as he should have started years ago.
• The government's response to the pandemic was a day late and a dollar short, as they failed to take timely action to prevent the spread of the virus.
• The artist's latest album was released a day late and a dollar short, as it failed to live up to the high expectations set by their previous work.