Nickel-and-dime (Verb)
Meaning 1
Accumulate gradually; "she nickeled-and-dimed together a small house for her family".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- He nickel-and-dimed every spare penny he had to save for a college education.
- Through determination and hard work, she nickel-and-dimed enough money to start her own business.
- They nickel-and-dimed together a small inheritance from their grandparents to fund a down payment on a new home.
- The family nickel-and-dimed a fortune by selling items at garage sales and flea markets every weekend.
- Over several years, he nickel-and-dimed away at his debt until he was finally financially free.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Spend money frugally; spend as little as possible.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- She nickels and dimes her way through college, always looking for ways to save money on textbooks and supplies.
- After the financial downturn, the company started to nickel and dime its customers, charging extra fees for every small service.
- When travel restrictions lifted, they were excited to explore new countries but were determined to nickel and dime every trip to stretch their limited budget.
- This extreme frugalist even nickels and dimes his friends, asking them to contribute gas money whenever they carpool.
- She tends to nickel and dime when shopping online, meticulously comparing prices and waiting for discounts before making a purchase.