penny pincher
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My uncle is a real penny pincher with his money.”
“She is such a penny pincher that she walks three miles just to avoid paying for the bus.”
“Despite his significant wealth, the old man remained a dedicated penny pincher, refusing to replace his worn-out coat for over a decade.”
From *pinchpenny*, a formation recorded in English since the sixteenth century. The components describe the physical act of gripping a coin between the fingers to prevent its departure.
- 01
a pound to a penny
Very likely; almost certainly.
- 02
bad penny
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.
- 03
penny for your thoughts
Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.
- 04
penny in the fusebox
An improvised repair made with no regard for safety.
- 05
penny wedding
A wedding at which the guests contribute payments in order to fund the event and to benefit the newly-married couple.
- 06
penny wise and pound foolish
Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.
- 07
pretty penny
Chiefly preceded by a: a considerable amount of money; a high income or price.
- 08
ten a penny
So common as to be practically or almost worthless.
Last updated August 10, 2026