George Zimmerman will continue to pay his estranged wife's living expenses from his legal defense fund, and he may even use money from the fund to pay her alimony if it comes to that ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Shellie Zimmerman received $4,300 after the couple separated for living expenses, and the money came from the George Zimmerman Legal Defense Fund.  Solicitations for the fund stated that money could be used for their living expenses, but that's when they were still together.

Sources connected with the couple tell TMZ ... Shellie is not a gold digger and only wants necessary expenses.  We're told George will continue to pay her way from his fund, but the monthly amount will vary and every penny will be backed up with a receipt.

Now this is interesting.  If George is ordered to pay Shellie alimony when they divorce, he is leaving open the possibility that he could pay that through his legal defense fund.

So we gotta ask ...