scrimp
/skrɪmp
/verb [no object]
Be thrifty or parsimonious; economize: I have scrimped and saved to give you a good education...
- Maguire, silver-haired but with a youthful face, looks surprisingly well put together for a man who scrimps on his clothing budget.
- Gina quits her job and scrimps together enough money to open her own salon.
- Can you scrimp and save enough to cover that cost?
Synonyms
economize, skimp, be (more) economical, make economies, scrimp and scrape, save;
be thrifty, be frugal, tighten one's belt, cut back, make cutbacks, budget, retrench, husband one's resources, cut costs, cut expenditure, draw in one's horns, watch one's pennies, look after the pence;
North American pinch the pennies
US dialect rake and scrape
Origin
Mid 18th century (in the sense 'keep short of food'): from Scots scrimp 'meagre'; perhaps related to shrimp.