caught in the crunch

To have been the victim of difficult circumstances or pressures, especially financial ones and often those that are outside of one's control. Many small businesses caught in the crunch of the recession were forced to close or are barely staying open. When next year's budget is announced by the government, lower earners and public services are likely to be the ones caught in the crunch. People who've lost their jobs are already caught in the crunch, and then the costly Christmas season arrives.