scrape by
Just get along
To scrape by is to manage with difficulty, surviving on barely adequate resources: We scraped by on one income until she found work.
The phrase suggests getting through a situation with nothing to spare—passing a test, paying bills, or making ends meet, but just barely.
Obtain with difficulty
- make ends meetManage financially, just barely
- get bySurvive with minimal resources
- surviveContinue to exist
- subsistMaintain minimal existence
hand-to-mouth · keep afloat · stay afloat · make do · hold on · muddle through · tough it out · hang on
Spend as little as possible
- tighten beltReduce one's expenditures
- scrimpSpend very sparingly
- economizeReduce expenses deliberately
- budgetPlan for spending
skimp · cut corners · stretch · ration · penny-pinching · thrifty · frugal · austere
eke out
Obtain with difficulty
- make ends meetManage financially, just barely
- get bySurvive with minimal resources
- surviveContinue to exist
subsist · hand-to-mouth · keep afloat · stay afloat · make do · hold on · muddle through · tough it out · hang on · weather
pinch pennies
Spend as little as possible
- tighten beltReduce one's expenditures
- scrimpSpend very sparingly
- economizeReduce expenses deliberately
budget · skimp · cut corners · stretch · ration · penny-pinching · thrifty · frugal · austere · barebones