“We have been warned to not waste even a small amount of money…”
We also have been warned against wasting time responding to these silly posts quoting some Rav or Sefer. What is your point. Are you expecting some contrarian argument that it is even worse to waste large amounts of money or a Clintonesque debate over what the meaning of “waste is. i
צדיקים אוהבים ממונם יותר מגופם, tzadikim love their money more than themselves, it is valuable to them because it is זהב טהור, pure gold which comes to them in a pure, lack of gezel, thievery means. The Sidrei Mishna has a mnemonic זמן נקט telling us to grab on to time and not waste it.