It actually does make sense. Overconsumption is a huge contributor to the problems that we see today. People buying a lot of junk that they don't need leads to wasted resources and overexploited ecosystems.
It's more like both my spouse and I and my kids are each over-spending on a daily basis, and I tell them that we all have to cut our spending, and start doing it first, leading by example, and not buying two lattes per day.
I'm not picking pennies in the parking lot, I'm not spending dollars on things, literally! I am amazed at the level of inaccuracy in your metaphor, thank you for that.