scratch out a living

Translations
с трудом зарабатывать на жизнь
He had to scratch out a living by working multiple jobs.
Ему приходилось с трудом зарабатывать на жизнь, работая на нескольких работах.
Definitions
To manage to survive or earn just enough money to live, often with great difficulty and minimal resources.
Words
scratch

verb
зарабатывать
out

adverb
кое как
a

article or possessive pronoun
один
living

noun
прожиток