Grammar fix
scrape by
barely manage financially
To manage to live with only just enough money for basic needs.
phrasal verb
How oftenCommon
LevelB2
Used inSpeech & writing
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
After paying the rent, we were scraping by on very little each month.
When I was a student, I was scraping by on a part-time wage, so I rarely ate out.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: We're just scratching by at the moment.
Say: We're just scraping by at the moment.
The verb is 'scrape', not 'scratch': 'scrape by' means manage with only just enough money.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Live on very little money
How difficultManagingBarely managing
get byHave enough money to manage without much comfort.make ends meetHave enough income to pay for basic needs and bills.
scrape byYou're here · Emphasises barely having enough money to live on.