just getting by

just getting by

Living with the minimum amount of necessities required to survive; barely making ends meet. Ever since my husband lost his job, we're just getting by. Our business is only just getting by as it is. If they increase taxes, I don't know how we'll be able to keep our doors open.
See also: by, get, just
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

(I'm) just getting by.

an expression indicating that one is just surviving financially or otherwise. Bob: How you doing, Tom? Tom: Just getting by, Bob. "I wish I could get a better job," remarked Tom. "I'm just getting by as it is."
See also: by, get, just
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
Someone saw something in you, and although that someone may be long gone, and although you haven't used whatever it was for years, you'd better resurrect it--or, more likely, develop an entirely new, contemporary version of it--because no longer is "just getting by" acceptable.
Hard truths for the holiday
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