爪に火をともす（つめにひをともす）

Japanese vocabulary

Meaning: to lead a stingy life; to scrimp and save; to pinch pennies; to light one's (finger)nails (instead of a candle)

See it used in real works

• Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
• Hear “爪に火をともす” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)