Possible Clues:

• Barely get by (with ''out'')
• ___ out a living (barely survive)
• ___ out a living (scrape by)
• Apt rhyme for "squeak"
• Stretch, with 'out'
• Barely manage, with ''out''
• Supplement (with "out")
• Just about squeeze (out)
• Squeeze (out), as a narrow victory
• Supplement with difficulty