FRUGAL

adj. 1 thrifty, sparing, economic(al), careful, prudent, provident, saving, conservative, conservational, moderate Mother had to become quite frugal when father fell ill 2 parsimonious, penurious, penny-pinching, cheese-paring, mean, miserly, stingy, niggardly, tight(-fisted), close(-fisted), hand to mouth He led a frugal existence on his earnings as an artist 3 meagre, paltry, poor, skimpy, scant(y), small, negligible, piddling His frugal meal consisted entirely of bread and water