hand
to
mouth
1
describing a situation where income is just sufficient to cover basic needs
- Despite working full-time, the family lived a hand-to-mouth existence, struggling to cover basic expenses like rent and groceries.
- The artist, passionate about their craft, led a hand-to-mouth lifestyle, relying on occasional sales of their artwork to make ends meet.
- Many individuals working in low-wage jobs find themselves in a hand-to-mouth situation, with little financial security.
- The sudden loss of the main source of income left them in a hand-to-mouth situation, unable to save for emergencies.
- Economic challenges and rising expenses pushed more households into a hand-to-mouth lifestyle, with little room for savings.