We need to cut down on our expenses, so that we are able to _______.

The blank needs an idiom meaning to manage finances with just enough money to survive.

Option 1 -> make ends meet -> means to have just enough money to pay for basic necessities.

Option 2 -> tie up the loose ends -> means to complete remaining tasks or details, not related to finances.

Option 3 -> be more philanthropic -> means to be charitable and give money away, opposite of cutting expenses.

Option 4 -> be tax compliant -> means to follow tax laws properly, unrelated to managing tight finances.

Option 1 -> make ends meet -> means to have just enough money to cover basic living expenses -> correct.

When you make ends meet, you're managing to survive financially with just enough income to cover your essential expenses. It's like stretching a rope so that both ends barely touch - you have exactly what you need to get by, nothing more, nothing less.