
Fare la fame
Vivere di stenti / Vivere alla giornata

Can't make ends meet 
Starve to death / Be in dire (financial) straits
Vivere di stenti / Vivere alla giornata

Can't make ends meet 
Starve to death / Be in dire (financial) straits
Esempi
A sentir loro fanno la fame, ma ogni anno vanno un mese in vacanza al mare. Come sarĂ questa storia?
According to them they can't make ends meet, but every summer they go on a month-long vacation to the beach. What's the story here?
Non vuoi mangiare i broccoli!? Ma pensa ai bambini che fanno la fame e che non hanno nemmeno quelli da mangiare!!!
You don't want to eat your broccoli? Think to all the children who are starving to death with absolutely nothing to eat!!!
Mio nonno mi racconta sempre che in tempo di guerra facevano la fame, ed era festa grande quando potevano mangiare pane e fichi
My grandfather always tells me that during the war they were really starving, and it was a big feast whenever they could have bread and potatoes to eat