Cash in on something

[Ashraful Haque]

According to Cambridge dictionary cash in on means 'to get money or another advantage from an event or situation, often in an unfair way.'
My questions are about the 'event or situation' and 'unfair way' parts.

1) I know it can be used for money. The other day me and a few of my friends were having conversation about how a certain political party is is trying to gain votes of by playing with people religions sentiments . One of my friends said that X (a political party) is cashing in on the religions sentiments of a certain group of people.
Did he use the phrase correctly?

2) Does it always imply something unfair? Can we not use it for some genuine and honest earning? For example,
"They offered me a better discount if I order now, so I cashed in on the situation."

 

[Tarheel]

(1) **I and a group of my friends
**playing on people's religious sentiments
**playing politics with people's religious sentiments

I'm not sure if I would use "cashing in" that way.

(2) That might work.

 

[emsr2d2]

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "cash in on" means 'to get money or another advantage from an event or situation, often in an unfair way.'
My questions are about the 'event or situation' and 'unfair way' parts.

1) I know it can be used for money. The other day me and a few of my friends and I were having conversation talking about how a certain political party is is trying to gain votes of by playing with people's religions religious sentiments. One of my friends said that X (a political party) is cashing in on the religions religious sentiments of a certain group of people.
Did he use the phrase correctly?

2) Does it always imply something unfair? Can we not use it for some genuine and honest earnings? For example, "They offered me a better discount if I order now, so I cashed in on the situation."

Note my corrections above.

1. I don't find it particularly natural before the vote has taken place. They haven't gained an advantage unless those people vote for them. You could use it after the election.
2. It's OK.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Thank you for the corrections. Specially the 'my friend and I' part. I keep making the same mistake in every post. Sorry.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Note my corrections above.

1. I don't find it particularly natural before the vote has taken place. They haven't gained an advantage unless those people vote for them. You could use it after the election.
2. It's OK.

How about,
"X (a political party) is trying to cash in on the religions sentiments of a certain group of people."

 

[Skrej]

As esmr2d2 previously pointed out, you need to use the adjective 'religious' instead of the noun 'religions'.

With that correction, your example in post #5 works.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

As esmr2d2 previously pointed out, you need to use the adjective 'religious' instead of the noun 'religions'.

With that correction, your example in post #5 works.

Got it!
Sorry I didn't notice that. It was just a typo.