Devon, 17, is used to paying her own cell phone and car expenses. But lately it's been har

der. The family she baby-sits for hasn' t been calling as much as usual and she couldn't find a job over the summer. Devon's dad said it's a sign of the tough economy. He told her he's feeling the pinch too and that he had to use her college fund to pay the loan(贷款).

This kind of money troubles isn't strange to common families these days. In fact, it's hard to avoid news about the economy on the screen of the TV or the computers recently. It can seem a bit worry and some families are hit really hard.

For most people, the big problem is that things cost more at a time when they have less money to spend. But higher prices aren't the only problem. Many people are having a tough time making payments on some types of home loans.

Therefore, some families are cutting back on what they spend. For example, eating out less, staying home instead of going on vacation, moving to a less expensive house and so on.

However, as discouraging as things may seem now, the good news is that the economy always gets back on track after a while. Jobs may be hard to find, but the slow economy can open up new opportunities. The couple Devon babysat for might cut back on evening's out, but they could be interested in hiring her for after-school care. Perhaps it's time to sell her old toys and baby gear (设备) in the basement(地下室) or help others sell these items online if she is-good at it. She could charge them a fee to sell their old stuff(东西).

What does the underlined phrase in the first paragraph refer to？

A．Getting hurt.

B．Short of money.

C．Out of work.

D．Receiving less calls.