[live] (from|) hand to mouth
1
to survive with only the bare minimum resources, often with no savings or financial security
The idiom "live hand to mouth" has its origins in the mid-16th century. The phrase describes a way of living in which a person's income is barely enough to cover their basic needs for food and shelter, leaving no surplus for savings or other expenses. It is used to describe a lifestyle or financial situation where someone's income is just enough to meet immediate needs, leaving no room for savings or investment.
- After losing his job, he lived hand to mouth, struggling to pay rent and buy enough food to eat.
- Despite working long hours, the single mother lived hand to mouth, barely making ends meet for her and her children.
- Many people in impoverished regions live hand to mouth, relying on daily wages to survive.
- The struggling artist lived hand to mouth, earning just enough from occasional sales of his artwork to cover his basic expenses.
- With the high cost of living in the city, even with a full-time job, she found herself living hand to mouth.