Possible Clues:

• With a very tight budget
• From hand to mouth
• With a limited amount of money, things are soon tight
• Hero's nation's oddly grand, with modest capital
• Very poor organist shone, surprisingly
• Having very tight budget paid for by a thin tier?
• Constrained by tight budget, old architect's forced to resign
• Barely funded -- how one might describe sole British singer round back of bar?
• With a small budget
• With a very low budget