empty carrots-bag on a stick 

Derisive term for a situation where a chronic moocher tries to temptingly persuade you to "just give him one very last loan" supposedly in order to enable him to accomplish whatever he needs to do in order to become able to finally pay you back all that he owes you --- and possibly a bit extra as a gratitude gesture --- in one lump sum. The idea is that he still does not even possess a real "carrot" --- i.e., any actual cold hard cash --- to offer you, but he is merely offering you the empty-talk promise of a "whole bag or carrots" --- i.e., a large one-time payment-amount that is far greater than any of the individual loans you have given him so far -- if you continue to bust your a** on his behalf. And of course, this assertion, too, is itself usually just another worthless promise, similar to all the other times when said handout-seeker has come bawling and blubbering to you for financial assistance in the past.

The local preacher tried to tell me that if I toil my butt off and live a life of strict propriety and chastity, **maybe** I will be given great rewards in Heaven. Sounds like a classic "empty carrots-bag on a stick" promise to me --- why should I suffer the agonies of an extra-hard and boring existence, especially when I am not even assured of any recognition or benefits for my efforts, anyway???

empty carrots-bag on a stick by QuacksO December 8, 2018