At subsistence level (2,3,9)
I believe the answer is:
on the breadline
'at subsistence level' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for on the breadline that I've seen before include "Phoning to secure money" , "at subsistence level" , "with barely enough to live on" , "Barely getting by" , "impoverished" .)