1. Scrape by 指“勉強度日”

Borrowing money from friends and relatives helped him toscrape by.

他全靠親朋好友的接濟度日!

2. Make ends meet 指“收支相抵”、“量入為出”，“收入微薄，勉強過活”。

They’ve got to watch every penny to make ends meet.

他們得精打細算才能維持下去。

3. Live from hand to mouth 指手里的食物僅能勉強滿足眼前的需要，“勉強糊口”。

We always lived from hand to mouth in those days.

那時候，我們總是過著朝不保夕的生活。

4. As poor as a church mouse 指“一貧如洗”。

Although very rich in his youth, he is now as poor as a church mouse.

雖然年輕時很有錢, 他現在卻窮得一貧如洗。

5. Keep body and soul together 指“掙錢糊口”。

I hate my job, but I have to keep body and soul together somehow.

我討厭我的工作，但不管怎么樣我得掙錢糊口。

6. Feel the pinch 指因缺錢而陷入困境。

The high rate of unemployment is making many families feel the pinch.

失業率很高，許多家庭感到日子不好過了。

7. Chicken feed 指“微不足道的錢”、“零錢”。

My salary is chicken feed compared with hers.

與她相比，我的工資少得可憐。