He was ever a little beforehand and never lived precariously.

的收入一向稍多于开支, 而从未过拮据的生活。

He was a writer living in straitened circumstances.

一个生活拮据的作家。

They are always pinched for money.

们总手头拮据。

I am quite badly off recently.

最近我经济上很拮据。