scrimp and save

scrimp and save (third-person singular simple present scrimps and saves, present participle scrimping and saving, simple past and past participle scrimped and saved)

1. To scrimp greatly; to economize; to live very frugally, particularly when saving for something.

   I scrimped and saved to buy my first house.

   • 2020, Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half, Dialogue Books, page 104:

     All month he scrimped and saved until he raised the money.

• skimp and save