[Grammar] I don't have money vs. I haven't had money

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beachboy

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Why haven't you bought the shirts you wanted?

a) Because I don't have money.
b) Because I haven't had money.

Which of the two sentences is right? Personally, I'd use either....
 
a) is OK; b) is unacceptable; c) and d) are two of the very many better responses:

c) Because I haven't any money.
d) Because I haven't got enough money.
 
In American English:

c) Because I don't have enough money.
d) Because I haven't got enough money.
 
b) Because I haven't had (enough) money.

This could be perfectly correct, too.
 
Or:

I don't have any money.

:cry:
 
Why haven't you bought the shirts you wanted?

a) Because I don't have money.
b) Because I haven't had money.

Which of the two sentences is right? Personally, I'd use either....

Either would be OK in answer to the question. a) at the present time/now and b) from sometime in the past up until the present time/now.
 
b) Because I haven't had (enough) money.

This could be perfectly correct, too.

I agree. I don't see a problem with b) as originally posted. I might however stick 'the' or 'any' before 'money'.

Because I haven't had the money (to buy them).

Because I haven't had any money (to buy them).
 
I don't have the money works best for me in terms of tense and I would use the definite article too.
 
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