Slang: bean counter

Definition: An accountant; someone who monitors the flow of money very carefully.
Example: 1) We wanted to buy some new furniture for the office but the bean counters wouldn't let us.
Etymology: This phrase comes from a comedy routine that was popular in New York in the 1880s. In the routine, a man would order some pork and beans and then would yell "And don't stop to count the beans!" The idea is that it is not necessary to count each and every bean, and that anyone who does is a little bit crazy -- and cheap.