# live beyond one's means

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/live-beyond-ones-means
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Have a lifestyle where one's spending regularly exceeds one's income.

## Examples

- They live beyond their means and have many debts.
- He struggled to pay his rent because he lived beyond his means to impress his friends.
- Despite earning a substantial salary, she lived beyond her means, eventually finding herself in a precarious financial position that required drastic lifestyle changes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.