Many believe the work should be financed by the 'public purse'. [=should be paid for by the government]
Companies are expected to 'loosen the purse strings' as the economy improves.
School administrators are already 'tightening (the) purse strings'.
(..) we tried every Thursday to help Aaron catch Regina in the act. Hey. Hey, what's up? My purse! Looks like he's headed for the projection room above the auditorium! Coach Carr? Trang Pak? (..)2004 Mean Girls