nickelling and diming

Death by fees

Nickelling and diming is wearing someone down through many small charges, requests, or criticisms rather than one significant demand.

The phrase evokes being charged five and ten cents at a time until the total becomes substantial: The hotel nickel-and-dimes you with fees for parking, Wi-Fi, and breakfast.

Also spelled nickeling and diming.

penny-pinchingExtreme reluctance to spend
surchargesAdditional fees imposed
microtransactionsSmall payments within software
frustrationDispleasure from blocked efforts
annoyanceState of being bothered

tiered pricing · price gouging · resentment · upselling · budget airlines · service charges · cost-cutting · overcharging · skepticism · dissatisfaction · subscription fees · distrust · frugality · trust issues · hidden fees · small print · à la carte · stress

Opposites

generosity/pricing approach

nickelling and dimingall-inclusive

Covering every element

bundling · flat-rate · complimentary · comping · on the house

scale of focus

nickelling and dimingseeing the forest for the trees

Perceiving whole despite parts

strategic thinking · prioritizing

treatment of others

nickelling and diminggenerosity

Readiness to give freely

magnanimity · largesse · open-handedness · liberality · munificence

Family

nickel, nickels, nickeled, nickel-and-dime

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Mostly American · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G