She works two jobs just to make ends meet.
make ends meet
idiomTo have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday).
Origin
disputed originUnknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds. Compare French joindre les deux bouts (literally “join the two ends”) with the same meaning. The form make both ends meet is attested from the 17th century, and was the more common form until the early-to-mid 20th century.
After losing his job, he struggled to make ends meet on unemployment benefits alone.
Despite rising rents and stagnant wages, the family somehow managed to make ends meet through careful budgeting and side work.
- 01
all ends up
Completely; totally.
- 02
burn the candle at both ends
To work hard night and day; to sleep late and wake up early; to overwork or overexert oneself.
- 03
cannot make it
Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.
- 04
doctors make the worst patients
It is difficult to advise people on subjects that they are experts on.
- 05
enough to make a cat laugh
Very outlandish or outrageous.
- 06
enough to make the angels weep
Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.
- 07
fine feathers make fine birds
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
- 08
go to the ends of the earth
To do everything possible to achieve something.