Why do I need to know se serrer la ceinture?
Because this expression might be a sign of economic trouble to come.
What does it mean?
Se serrer la ceinture - roughly pronounced suh sair-ay lah sahn-tur - translates as ‘to tighten the belt’.
You might hear this expression used literally when trying on new clothes, but its figurative meaning is the same as in English - it means to decrease spending due to financial constraints.
Most commonly, you will see French media use this expression when talking about budget cuts.
For instance, you may read a headline such as L'Etat lance un plan d'économies : Qui va devoir se serrer la ceinture ? (The government launches a savings plan: who will have to tighten their belts?)
However, individuals can use it as well - your friend might say they will need to se serrer la ceinture after an expensive holiday.
A synonym would be faire des économies.
Use it like this
Elle devra se serrer la ceinture après avoir perdu son emploi. - She will have to cut back on spending after losing her job.
Le ministre des finances a annoncé des plans pour se serrer la ceinture, ce qui a rendu les employés de la fonction publique inquiets. - The finance minister announced plans to tighten belts, which made public employees nervous.
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