What is the meaning of this expression??????

Question

What does it mean, when someone says that they are living "hand to mouth"???????

Answer 1

Living hand to mouth

Meaning: To be poor, to have difficulty supporting yourself.
Example: Most people who marry young start out living hand to mouth.

Origin: During the Great Depression and other times of economic scarcity, people often did not know when or where the next meal was coming from. In such a case, when you get something in your hand that can be eaten, it goes into the mouth immediately: ergo "hand to mouth."

Thanks to R.B. Stevenson

Answer 2

It is worse than living paycheck to paycheck. When you live that way, your check is spent as soon as you get it, but you do have what you need. Living hand to mouth is an expression that relates barely surviving. Everything that passes through the hand is used to put something in the mouth. There is nothing left over for what the rest of us think of as necessities, like phones, TV, or even running water. It is amazing how your perception of reality changes when you live hand to mouth, even if it is only for a short period.

Answer 3

They are working with their hands and feeding their mouths and that is all they can do. There is nothing left over for savings or esentials.

Same as living pay check to paycheck.

Answer 4

Whatever money a day their hard working hands earn; it's spent on what they manage to afford to eat. I should know: I've been there once before.

Answer 5

It means that they can barely afford the food they eat so they don't have money for anything else.

Answer 6

It means they are poor - they can't save any $. Everything they earn goes for survival.

Answer 7

as soon as money comes in, it's spent
every penny is already accounted for, before it comes home in form of a paycheck

Answer 8

broke all the time, as in as soon as you get money in hand you have to buy food to feed yourself

Answer 9

Earning just enough to eat

Answer 10

No extra cash .Gettin along but barely.