Time is Money

Time is Money
Premiere Date (Barker Era)	September 22, 2003 (#2601K) (original version)
Premiere Date (Carey Era)	September 22, 2014 (#6811K) (revival version)
Pricing Game Location	Center Stage
Previous Premiered Pricing Game	On the Spot
Next Premiered Pricing Game (Barker Era)	Coming or Going
Previous Premiered Pricing Game (Carey Era)	Do The Math
Next Premiered Pricing Game (Carey Era)	Vend-O-Price
Finale Date (Barker Era)	April 23, 2004 (#2895K, aired out-of-order on April 30, 2004) (original version)

Time is Money has similarities of Race Game and the opposite essence of Switcheroo and Line 'Em Up. Originally, it was played for a prize, but today, it is being played for up to $20,000 in cash.

Gameplay

Original Version

The contestant was shown five grocery items. They were given 20 seconds to place each of the items on one of three shelves based on their prices: Less than $3, $3-$6 and over $6. If the contestant placed all of the items correctly on that first turn, they won a prize; otherwise, they were told how many items were placed incorrectly (but not which ones) and were given another 20 seconds to make corrections to win the prize. If they placed any items incorrectly this time, they do not win the prize and the game is over.

Current Version

While the game itself remains the same, the player now has 10 seconds to place the items on the right platforms based on their prices: $0-$2.99, $3.00-$5.99 and over $6.00. Once time runs out, Drew asks if they're right. If they are, they win the top prize of $20,000. Otherwise, the player is given another 40 seconds with the cash counting down at $500 a second. If the player completes the game before the money hits $0, they win whatever's left.

Strategy

• Do not look at the audience during initial item placement. Ten seconds is not a lot of time.
• Make sure to grab all five items at once unless they over-encumber you. Not doing so means you may run out of time. If you do run out of time, that's okay - you still have 40 seconds to finish the job.
• During the 40 seconds, change only one item at a time, as you may bypass the correct configuration if you move two at once. If you think one or two is wrong, move item A, check, then move item B and check, and then move item A back and check again.
• Keep in mind that each shelf will usually have one or two items on it; it is increasingly rare for a shelf to have three items. Also recall that all shelves must have an item on them: At least one grocery item has to be below $3.00, at least one has to be between $3.00-$6.00, and at least one has to be above $6.00.
• For this game to be counted as won, the contestant only needs to win any amount of money, not necessarily the full $20,000. If the contestant wins the full $20,000, it is counted as a "perfect win" just the same as getting everything correct on the first try in games like Cover Up and One Away.

History

• On the Barker version's first two playings, Time Is Money used a 15-second clock and the contestant was given a $500 voucher to start the game. If all products were placed correctly on the first turn, the player won both the prize and the money. Otherwise, they were not told the number of mistakes or which items were placed incorrectly but were offered the choice of keeping the $500 or returning it in exchange for a second chance-- similar to that of Make Your Mark/Barker's Markers-- and another 15 seconds to place the items. The then-regular rules debuted on October 24, 2003 (#2645K).
• On November 20, 2003 (#2684K), the clock went from 20 to 0 in 15 seconds, resulting in a technical win, as the contestant could've placed the groceries in the right spots on either chance in five more seconds.
• On November 21, 2014 (#6895K, aired out-of-order on November 12, originally rescheduled to air on November 14) and February 21, 2018 (#8223K, aired out-of-order on February 19), during Season 43's and Season 46's Big Money Week, respectively, it was played for $200,000, counting down at $5,000 per second (the same pace as normal). On September 16, 2021, it was played for $1,000,000 as part of Season 50 Premiere Week where one pricing game of each day has a $1,000,000 top prize, counting down at $25,000 per second. Sadly, the contestants in these episodes-- Gregory Duffey, Shi Ne Nielson and Jacqueline Navarro-- won nothing. However, on a logically scheduled airdate unknown (#078SP, aired out of order on February 2, 2024), contestant Ayana Dudley became the first contestant to win the full $200,000.
• On January 26, 2015 (#6981K), history was made when Suzanne Grimmer managed to place the five grocery items in the right spots on the first try within the 10-second limit, becoming the first of seven contestants to win the $20,000. With the perfect win, the clangs and whoops were heard and the lighted borders of the big doors and the lighted squares on the big doors flashed green and teal as a backdrop. The other perfect wins were courtesy of D'Juana Davis on February 1, 2017 (#7793K), Bridgitte Yeager on October 4, 2017 (#8033K), Charity Myers on January 4, 2019 (#8565K), Leslie Owens on October 4, 2019 (#8835K), Briteney Toscano on January 19, 2021 (#9272K), and Bridget McGarry on March 13, 2023 (#0151L). For the second perfect win, a $20,000 graphic was on the screen, but the sound effects were shortened. For the remaining wins, only the sound effects were used.
• The lowest non-zero amount to be won is $547, on February 25, 2020 (#9042K).
• The Barker version of Time is Money had never been the first game to be played in the game's slotting list because it needs time to start up. As such, the game was never played earlier than second. The Carey version of Time is Money has never been the first or second game to be played on the show for the same reason. As such, the game can be played no earlier than third on the show.
• In the Barker version, Time is Money was lost four times. In the Carey version, it has been lost 86 times (no money won) (excluding 2 primetime losses) (for a total of 90 losses, excluding 2 primetime losses), the most recent being April 15, 2024 (#0581L).
• Time is Money has been won 19 times (11 in the Barker Version and 8 in the Carey version, excluding 4 primetime wins), most recently on March 13, 2023 (#0151L).
• A very minor difference between the Barker and Carey versions comes into play if there is an item that costs exactly $6. On the Barker version, it would be placed in the middle pad ("$3-$6"), while in the Carey version, it should go on the right pad "$6 or over").

Set Changes

Original Version

• For its first several playings of the Barker version, the grocery placards were above the panels. Beginning on November 25, 2003 (#2962K), they were moved below the panels, with the panels themselves now sporting white asterisks (not Goodson-Todman asterisks) on a red background.

Current Version

• For the first three times of the Carey version, there are no prices on the grocery products at the game's end. The prices on the grocery products were added on November 6, 2014 (#6875K). Originally, when Drew would press the button, they would play a cash register sound; this was changed to Drew pressing it twice, first time sounding the buzzer and the second time sounding the sustained bell rings on February 18, 2015 (#7013K).

Trivia

• The think music on the original version was the same one used on Clearance Sale, albeit heavily shortened.
• The most number of times this game was played in any season was 16 (seasons 43, 44 and 47), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 12 (seasons 48 and 49).
• Both versions of this game debuted on September 22 (but different years).
• Drew Carey frequently states that Time Is Money is one of his favorite pricing games.
• This is the only game to be retired, and then reactivated in a later season. Until the second version of Time is Money debuted, it was the most recently created game to not appear on any Carey-hosted episodes; that distinction now belongs to On the Spot.

Retirement of the Original Version

The original game was removed from the rotation after its final playing on April 23, 2004 (#2895K, aired out-of-order on April 30, 2004), partly because it proved very hard to tape the game without having to make post-production edits. Roger Dobkowitz, the show's then-producer who created the game, announced plans to bring the game back with a smaller set on the stage's turntable, but it never came to fruition, as he was fired at the end of Season 36 by then-executive producer Syd Vinnedge (who himself retired at the end of Season 37), eventually leading to the game being officially retired in the summer of 2008. It was later announced on CBS.com on September 12, 2014 that the game would return to the rotation, along with a revamped set and all-new rules, effectively turning it into a "pure" cash game.

Gallery

To view the gallery, click here.

YouTube Videos

Premiere Playing (original) (September 22, 2003, #2601K)
Joshua wins Time is Money (January 14, 2004, #2763K)
Finale Playing (original) (April 23, 2004, aired out-of-order on April 30, #2895K)
Premiere Playing (current) (September 22, 2014, #6811K)
$200,000 Time is Money (November 21, 2014, #6895K, aired out-of-order on November 12, originally rescheduled to air on November 14)
The first ever Perfect Win! (January 26, 2015, #6981K)
2nd Perfect Win! (February 1, 2017, #7793K)
3rd Perfect Win! (October 4, 2017, #8033K)
4th Perfect Win! (January 4, 2019, #8565K)
Biggest 2nd Chance Win! (September 4, 2019, #8801K)
5th Perfect Win! (October 4, 2019, #8835K)
6th Perfect Win! (January 19, 2021, #9272K)
7th Perfect Win! (March 13, 2023, #0151L)
8th Perfect Win! (February 14, 2024, #078SP, aired out of order on February 2)