To charge, or be charged, several unexpected small amounts of money, often in the form of fees, taxes, or related expenses to a venture, which when taken as a whole add up to a significant unexpected cost.

“I got nickel and dimed to death by the phone company's sneaky extra charges.”

To wear down in small increments; to quibble or obsess endlessly with (someone) over trifles.

Small time; operating on a small scale; involving small amounts of money; petty or cheap.

“Don't waste your time with that; their operations are nickel and dime.”