She's just trying to 'earn a living'. [=to earn the money needed for food, clothing, etc.]
He will do anything to 'earn his keep'. [=to earn what is needed to support himself]
He 'earned/won his spurs' by doubling the company's profits in the past year.
(..) The Free Folk don't know her. I've been up here a while, and I'm telling you, they're stubborn as goats. You want their loyalty, you have to earn it. [PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY] I sense that you're leading to a proposal. A proposal (..)2019 TvShow: Game of Thrones Title: Winterfell Season: 8 Episode 1
(..) After the war. That was our agreement. Wars sometimes last years. You want a whore, buy one. You want a queen... earn her. How? I've given her justice, an army and the Iron Fleet, yet she gives me (..)2019 TvShow: Game of Thrones Title: Winterfell Season: 8 Episode 1