shave a nickel

present singular third person shaves a nickel · participle present shaving a nickel · participle past shaved a nickel · past shaved a nickel

1. CanadaUScolloquialrareTo be stingy (excessively frugal).

   They acted as if shaving nickels would stave off bankruptcy, perhaps because they had no better ideas.

   3 more examples

   The company's endless attempts to shave a nickel were finally catching up with it, proving the old saw about being penny wise and pound foolish.

   He ain't the only cheap son-of-a-bitch in the business by a long sight; he can find owners, a-plenty of 'em, just as cheap as he is, just as ready to shave a nickel here and a dime there and call themselves cute — and then wonder to all creation why they don't get nowhere with their horses!

   1935, Evan Shipman, Free for All, C. Scribner's Sons, page 78

   […] he commented, "Damned greasy little robber, that bastard is." Rosey, out in the hall, had heard him. "Those guys sure do shave a nickel," he was soon reporting to their classmates. "They're even blacking their own shoes." Bit by bit he built up his sordid picture of two young undesirables living from hand to mouth. The details were correct, but […]

   1944, Richmond Barrett, Truant, E.P. Dutton, page 160

   Synonyms: skin a flint