Hi keep the wolf from the door Fig. to maintain oneself at a minimal level; to keep from starving, freezing, etc. I don't make a lot of money, just enough to keep the wolf from the door. We have a small amount of money saved, hardly enough to keep the wolf from the door.

'Keep the wolf from the door' is an idiom meaning ' to have enough money to be able to live and to avoid going hungry': 'She wants to take any job now, just to keep the wolf from the door.' = She wants to do any job in order to avoid hunger and suffering caused by the lack of money.