penny-wise

Frugal on trifles

Penny-wise describes someone who is careful about small expenses but often wasteful with larger ones.

The phrase almost always appears in the expression penny-wise and pound-foolish, meaning focused on trivial savings while ignoring significant costs: They refused to hire an inspector, which was penny-wise—the foundation problems cost them fifty thousand.

frugality

budgeting

Allocating funds systematically

savingsAccumulated money kept
thriftyPrudent with resources
economicalUsing resources sparingly

cost-conscious · prudent · sparing · scrimping · pinching · tightfisted · parsimonious · stingy · chary · provident

bargain-hunting

coupon

Certificate for reduced price

discountReduced price offered
dealAgreement or distribution
bargainFavorable purchase price

value · affordable · budget · saver · sale · clearance · rebate · bulk-buying · comparison-shopping · secondhand

false-economy

pound-foolish

Wasteful with large sums

shortsightedUnable to see ahead
myopicUnable to see far
counterproductiveHindering intended outcome

wasteful · imprudent · misguided · self-defeating · unwise · foolish · reckless · extravagant · negligent · careless

Categories

Money-Saving Wordsthrifty, frugal, economical, budget-conscious, cost-conscious
stinginessstinginess, miserliness, miserly, stingy, tightfistedness
shortsightedmyopic, imprudent, ill-considered, narrow-minded, blinkered
shortsightednessmyopia, short-termism, tunnel vision

Opposites

financial prudence with small amounts

penny-wisewasteful

Using resources carelessly

spendthrift · profligate · extravagant · improvident · prodigal

spending generosity/scale

penny-wiselavish

Abundant beyond necessity

generous · munificent · openhanded · freehanded · liberal

focus on details vs. big picture

penny-wisepound-foolish

Wasteful with large sums

Family

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G