nickel and dime
Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“They nickel and dime their customers for every small service.”
“Cheap hotels often nickel and dime you for basic things like towels.”
“The airline will nickel and dime you for extra bags, seat selection, and even water.”
“I decided to quit that job because the manager would nickel and dime me over every five-minute break I took.”
“The contractor promised a low price, but then he started to nickel and dime us for every nail and screw he used.”
“Rather than offering a comprehensive package, the company chose to nickel and dime its clients through a series of hidden, incremental fees that eventually totaled a significant sum.”
The phrase originates from the American retail landscape of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, specifically referencing stores where every item was priced at either a nickel or a dime. The idiom emerged from this commercial practice of accumulating small, individual charges which, while minor in isolation, collectively constituted the entirety of a transaction.
- 01
a dime a dozen
So common as to be practically or almost worthless.
- 02
dime's worth
An insignificant amount
- 03
drop a dime
To make a telephone call.
- 04
nickel nurser
A miser.
- 05
nickel tour
Synonym of fifty-cent tour.
- 06
not worth a dime
Worthless or nearly so: lacking in value.
- 07
not worth a plug nickel
Having no or almost no value; worthless.
- 08
Yankee dime
A kiss.
Last updated August 10, 2026