When someone is cautious with their spending or resources, we can say they are being economical. However, there are several other synonyms we can use to describe this behavior, such as frugal, thrifty, prudent, or parsimonious. By being frugal, a person is mindful of their expenditure and avoids wastefulness. Similarly, being thrifty involves being resourceful and finding ways to save money. A prudent person carefully considers their choices and avoids unnecessary expenses, while a parsimonious individual is overly cautious and may even be considered stingy. All of these terms describe being economical with something, whether it's money, time, or materials.