Cut corners, putting top of mattress in refuse container (5)
I believe the answer is:
skimp
'cut corners' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'top of mattress in refuse container' is the wordplay.
'top of' says to take the initial letters.
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'refuse container' becomes 'skip' (a skip contains refuse or rubbish).
The first letter of 'mattress' is 'm'.
'm' placed within 'skip' is 'SKIMP'.
'putting' is the link.
(Other definitions for skimp that I've seen before include "save" , "Be mean with, scamp" , "tighten one's belt" , "Expend less in an attempt to economise" , "Spend little" .)