Idiom
watch the pennies
Meanings
to be careful with small expenses and try to save money
Definition
To be very careful about spending small amounts of money in order to save and avoid waste.
If you watch the pennies, you pay close attention to small everyday costs and try not to waste money. It often means budgeting carefully, especially when money is tight. The idea is that small savings can add up over time.
Examples
- We’re watching the pennies until payday.
- Since the rent went up, I’ve had to watch the pennies.
- They watched the pennies and cooked at home instead of eating out.
- If you watch the pennies, those little daily purchases add up less quickly.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse it with “watch the pence” or use it to mean literally looking at money, but it means budgeting carefully.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something you were responsible for.
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a relaxed, friendly chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of what you have done or a difficult situation.