Pool money before finishing (4)
I believe the answer is:
mere
'pool' is the definition.
(mere is a kind of pool)
'money before finishing' is the wordplay.
'money' becomes 'm' (abbreviation in economics**).
'before' becomes 'ere' (usually literary).
'finishing' says to put letters next to each other.
'm'+'ere'='MERE'
(Other definitions for mere that I've seen before include "Pool -- pure and simple" , "Paltry" , "Lake - French mother" , "Lake; Wiltshire town" , "Nothing more than a small pool" .)