Verb
scale back (third-person singular simple present scales back, present participle scaling back, simple past and past participle scaled back)
To make a reduction in the amount, extent, etc. of something.
I scaled back my hours to be with the kids more.
People who face too many demands - two careers, two children - often scale back somehow. The Obamas scaled up. Jodi Kantor
Those carrying a credit card balance should scale back to making the minimum payment each month so they have more money to put into savings. Suze Orman
I'm much more famous than I am rich, but I'm able to scale back my lifestyle. I know a lot of people who were where I was who can't imagine living any simpler, but I haven't got a lot of expensive wants. Ali MacGraw
If you wait to see how much money you have left at the end of the month to put toward savings, the answer may be zero. So, set up an automated monthly transfer from your checking to savings account. Once you lock into that commitment, you'll be forced to scale back spending to make ends meet. Suze Orman
Throughout our history, Microsoft has won by making big, bold bets. I believe that now is not the time to scale back the scope of our ambition or the scale of our investment. While our opportunities are greater than ever, we also face new competitors, faster-moving markets and new customer demands. Steve Ballmer