(as) poor as a Job's turkey
Very poor; having little or no money. An allusion to the biblical character Job, whose possessions and wellbeing were taken away by God as a test of faith. My father was as poor as a Job's turkey growing up, so his sole focus was to give his kids every opportunity in life that he missed out on. We've become poor as Job's turkeys ever since the bank raised the interest rates on our mortgage.
poor as Job's turkey
Poverty-stricken. The biblical Job's hardships did not bode well for any barnyard creatures that depended on him for sustenance. This wonderfully descriptive old Southern phrase says all that needs to be said about someone in dire financial straits.