A thrifty person is careful with money. They do not waste it, they compare prices, they mend a shirt instead of buying a new one, they cook at home instead of eating out.

A thrifty person一個thrifty(節儉)的人 is careful with money花錢很謹慎。 They do not waste it他們不會浪費錢， they compare prices會比價， they mend a shirt instead of buying a new one衣服破了會修補而不是買新的， they cook at home instead of eating out會自己在家煮飯而不是外食。

It is a compliment — you are saying the person is sensible and manages well, especially on a small income. Things can be thrifty too: 'a thrifty meal', 'thrifty tips for students' — meaning cheap in a clever way, not cheap in a sad way. Note how different this feels from 'cheap' used about a person, which is an insult ('Don't be so cheap'), or 'stingy' and 'mean', which say someone holds money back from others. Thrifty says the opposite: this person spends carefully so there is enough.

It is a compliment這是一種稱讚 — you are saying the person is sensible and manages well——意思是說這個人很懂事，把事情管理得很好， especially on a small income尤其是收入不多的情況下。 Things can be thrifty too東西也可以被說成thrifty： 'a thrifty meal', 'thrifty tips for students'像'a thrifty meal'（省錢的一餐）、'thrifty tips for students'（給學生的省錢小撇步） — meaning cheap in a clever way, not cheap in a sad way——意思是聰明地省錢，不是寒酸地省錢。 Note how different this feels from 'cheap' used about a person注意這跟拿'cheap'形容一個人感覺差很多， which is an insult ('Don't be so cheap')'cheap'是一種侮辱（像'Don't be so cheap'）， or 'stingy' and 'mean'或是'stingy'、'mean'， which say someone holds money back from others這兩個字說的是一個人捨不得對別人花錢。 Thrifty says the oppositethrifty說的正好相反： this person spends carefully so there is enough這個人是花得謹慎，好讓錢夠用。

Though actually, the word has an old-fashioned smell to younger speakers. It sounds like something you say about a grandmother, or something you read on a money-saving website. Younger people are more likely to say 'good with money', 'careful with money', or 'budget' as an adjective — 'budget travel', 'a budget meal'. It is still perfectly usable and everyone understands it; it just feels warm and slightly old.

Though actually不過其實， the word has an old-fashioned smell to younger speakers這個字對年輕人來說有點老派的味道。 It sounds like something you say about a grandmother聽起來像是在講奶奶的那種話， or something you read on a money-saving website或是在省錢網站上會看到的字。 Younger people are more likely to say 'good with money', 'careful with money'年輕人比較會說'good with money'、'careful with money'， or 'budget' as an adjective或是把'budget'當形容詞用 — 'budget travel', 'a budget meal'——像'budget travel'（省錢旅遊）、'a budget meal'（平價餐點）。 It is still perfectly usable and everyone understands it這個字還是完全可以用，大家也都聽得懂， it just feels warm and slightly old只是感覺比較溫馨、有點老派。

In American English there is also 'thrift store' — a shop selling second-hand clothes and things, run for charity — which keeps the word alive in daily life even for people who would never call anyone thrifty.

In American English there is also 'thrift store'美式英文裡還有'thrift store' — a shop selling second-hand clothes and things, run for charity ———一種賣二手衣物和用品、由慈善機構經營的店—— which keeps the word alive in daily life讓這個字在日常生活裡繼續活著， even for people who would never call anyone thrifty就算是那些絕不會用thrifty形容別人的人也一樣。