The phrase "poor circumstances" refers to a situation where someone is experiencing financial hardship, poverty or difficult conditions. Full definition
Although just victims of poor circumstances, people who used these loans, also called payday loans, were regarded negatively. (badcreditloanservices.com)
It certainly is when I think about the fact that I grew up in financially poor circumstances. (theabundantartist.com)
A son of immigrants who grew up in poor circumstances, Zaentz created the world's largest independent jazz record company, Fantasy Records, before becoming a film producer who won Best Picture Academy Awards for three films (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, and The English Patient). (gse.harvard.edu)