pennypinching

Penny-pinching refers to the practice of extreme frugality, especially when it involves minimizing small, routine expenses. The term derives from the penny, a small unit of currency, and pinching, implying squeezing value out of every cent.

Behaviors associated with penny-pinching include meticulous budgeting, price shopping, coupon clipping, buying in bulk, reusing or repairing items, and avoiding discretionary purchases or tipping when not required.

Motivations vary and can include limited resources, a desire to avoid waste, habit, or a cultural emphasis on thrift. A scarcity mindset or anxiety about money can reinforce frugal habits even when funds are available.

The consequences can be mixed: prudent saving and reduced debt may result, but there is also the risk of missed opportunities, degraded quality of life, social friction, or damaged professional relationships if stinginess becomes extreme.

In culture and discourse, penny-pinching is sometimes portrayed as prudent thrift and at other times as miserliness or rigidity.