scrimp
SKRIMP
/skrɪmp/
To be extremely sparing or economical with money or food; to save by cutting down on expenses, often to the point of hardship.
Implies a difficult or reluctant act of saving, often due to necessity, and suggests a noticeable reduction in quality or quantity. It often carries a sense of struggle.
The story behind the word. The word 'scrimp' likely comes from Scandinavian origins, possibly related to Swedish 'skrympa' or Danish 'skrumpe,' both meaning 'to shrink' or 'to shrivel.' This connection perfectly captures the essence of scrimping: shrinking your expenses, making things smaller, or reducing what you have to save money. It's a vivid image of making do with less!
Word relationships
- economize: To reduce expenses; 'scrimp' implies a more severe or difficult form of economizing.
- retrench: To reduce costs, often in a business context; 'scrimp' is more personal and often implies greater hardship.
- pinch pennies: An idiom meaning to be very careful with money, often to an extreme degree.
- splurge: To spend a lot of money on something self-indulgent.
- waste: To use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.
- indulge: To allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of.
Commonly confused with
- frugal: 'Scrimp' describes the act of saving with difficulty or by making significant sacrifices. 'Frugal' describes a general characteristic of being careful with money, which can be done without hardship.
Word family
- scrimper (noun): A person who scrims.
Collocations
- scrimp and save
- scrimp on food
- scrimp on expenses
- scrimp on necessities
Idioms & expressions
- scrimp and save
Example sentences
- "They had to scrimp and save for years to afford their dream vacation." Living on a tight budget.
- "During his college years, he often had to scrimp on meals, living on ramen noodles and cheap coffee." Making do with very little.
- "The struggling business had to scrimp on every possible expense, even turning off lights in unused offices." A company's extreme cost-cutting.
Memory hook
When you SCRIMP, your budget SHRINKS. SHRINK expenses
When not to use
If the saving is done easily or without significant sacrifice, 'economize' or 'save' would be more appropriate. 'Scrimp' suggests a more severe reduction.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'scrimp and save' is a common idiom, emphasizing the effort required to accumulate funds.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.