Topic: Money - part 3

Vocabulary

Liên quan đến chi tiền - Spend

Synonym with ‘cheap’

Reasonable/ Reasonably

• ABC is reasonably priced.
• The price of ABC is reasonable.

Synonym with ‘expensive’

Prohibitively expensive/ prohibitive

• Hotel prices in the major cities are high but not prohibitive.
• Property in Vietnam tends to be prohibitively expensive.

It’s not really affordable for most people

To cost an arm and a leg: To cost a lot of money

Các thói quen chi tiền

• Spend money like water: spend money like there was no tomorrow
• To go on a spending spree: to buy many things (often without thinking too much about the cost)
• To shop until you drop: to go shopping until you are so tired you can’t carry on

Liên quan đến kiếm tiền - Earn

Liên quan đến mua - Buy

A bargain (noun) or bargain (verb) /ˈbɑːr.ɡɪn/

• This coat was half-price - a real bargain.
• The airline regularly offers last-minute bookings at bargain prices.
• The sales had started and the bargain hunters (= people looking for things at a low price) were out in force.
• Unions bargain with employers for better rates of pay each year.

An eye for a bargain: nói về người chuyên trả giá khi mua hàng, hoặc người hay săn hàng giảm giá

• She has a sharp eye for a bargain.

To rip someone off: bị 'chặt chém', bị mua hớ

• The consumer is definitely being ripped off with regard to food prices.

To save money for something: để dành tiền cho cái gì đó

To pay off my debts: trả hết nợ

To pay cash/ to use credit cards: Trả bằng tiền mặt/ thẻ tín dụng

To buy a lemon: To buy something that proves to be worthless

Money doesn’t grow on trees: Money doesn’t come easily

To shop around: to look for the best price

Cách thành ngữ liên quan đến tiền

Money makes the world go round: đồng tiền làm thế giới xoay chuyển (có tiền mua tiên cũng được)

• “Money makes the world go round.” I wonder if this famous English expression is very true. If you have money, the world goes round very gently and you are happy. If you don’t have money, the world might not go round so smoothly.

The love of money is the root of all evil: Đam mê tiền tài là nguồn gốc của tội lỗi

• They also say that “money is the root of all evil”. I think this is so true. Money makes people kill and steal. Greed means there are things in the world like blackmail, corruption, slave labour and a lot more terrible things.

Money can’t buy happiness: Tiền không mua được hạnh phúc

• Another common saying in English is “money can’t buy happiness”. I’m not so sure about this one. I know if I had loads of money I’d be pretty happy. I think if all the world’s money was shared out, the world would go round more happily, and there would be less evil and more happiness.

To put paid to: đánh đổi

• His dedication to his work put paid to his wife’s career as a nurse as soon as their first child came along.

To pay the price for: trả giá cho hành động/ quyết định

• He is paying the price for his ambitiousness now as his wife has left him and taken their son.

Sample answer

Money can do many things, both good and bad. It allows us to have freedom and a wide variety of choices. Money gives us confidence and motivation to work harder so we can have a better life. You can decide where and how you want to live when you have a good income. When you do not have much money, your choice will be limited. However, everything comes with a price. Having much money doesn’t mean people won’t run into problems. Most people fail to strike a balance between earning and enjoying money so they work day and night. They believe they’ll be happier if they have lots of money. However, for most people, such time never comes and they die unhappy and dissatisfied.

Sample answer

It’s true that money isn’t the most important thing in this world but it’s irreplaceable in our lives. If the world were a completely free place with no expenses and people could own anything they want without money, they would no longer go to work. There would be nothing as motivation and people would work unproductively. Money stimulates people to overcome obstacles so they can enjoy their achievements to the fullest. Besides, people who have money have their own voice in society and it’s a strong encouragement for anyone.

Spending money is definitely the most satisfying feeling ever. People can buy things they’ve long waited for to please themselves. Buying something new will make their day and stimulates them to work harder. The money spent isn’t necessarily on oneself but also loved ones. It makes us feel good so we will spend more money the next time.

Sample answer

Well, it’s hard to say. Men’s biggest risk is their egos. They need to brag about their possessions and how much money they’ve earned, so they end up spending more money. Women tend to save money and spend it when they really need it. However, there are still exceptions when women manage money worse than men. That’s why there is no strong proof to show men or women save more money.

It’s such a tricky question. I guess for any economy, saving is entwined with spending. When people buy things, they will contribute a sum of money to the stores so they can pay salaries. The government also benefit from that as it’ll gain tax. If people save money, only the banks have an advantage so they can invest or set up new businesses. An ideal economy is when saving and spending balanced. It’s a rule for any economy in the world.

Well, actually, I don’t really care about this issue. I think the government has its own reason to not publicise everything. It can be state secrets so the authority wants to keep it private. However, If the government could go public with the amount of  money it spends, it would gain trust from the public and assure them that their money is invested properly.

The youth normally spend their money on various things to satisfy their needs. Young females are willing to pay money for fashionable clothes and cosmetics, while males mostly allocate their budget on high-tech devices or sports. Youngsters usually love hanging out with friends so food and drinks, or social and leisure activities will also cost their money. Young people who have a particular hobby will have funds for it. For example, K-pop fans spend money buying CD albums of their idols, stamp collectors pay for valuable stamps to expand their collection.

From my point of view, young people should learn from their parents who have lots of experience with spending money. They will give the youngsters sound advice to keep an eye on personal expenses. The young should plan short terms and long-term financial goals and review them from time to time to manage personal finance well. They need to make sure their budgets cover their savings as well in case of any unforeseen emergency.

Sample answer

I think it’s all about motivation. When people have specific goals, they’ll find saving money easier. For instance, lots of youngsters are working their way through university by doing some part-time jobs. They don’t feel like depending on their parents and wanting to have less burden on their family. They can save a small sum of money every month. Once young people keep that habit, they can have considerable savings for their future.

I think that toys and comic books are the two major things that kids usually spend money on. First, needless to say, toys are the most attracting item that children rarely don't want. Especially, toys and entertaining products relating to their favourite characters, such as Spiderman, Batman, Ironman for boys, or queen Elsa, princess Rapunzel for girls, would be the most desirable ones. Second, comic books or mangas also gain much popularity among kids nowadays so that their parents are willing to pay for those in order to satisfy their children. 

I do agree with that. Giving pocket money to children helps them start learning about money management. When children get pocket money, they have to make choices about spending or saving it. If they save up, they have to learn about waiting for things they want. Otherwise, kids who choose to spend are likely to use up all the money. After a few months, they’ll know how to spend within their budget. Paying the children to do chores also makes them more hard-working.  Money doesn’t grow on trees so giving pocket money will teach the kids to appreciate it.

Yes, they do. They always encourage the kids to live within their means. They believe if the children save money, they will be more appreciate and use it wisely. When they set aside money, they will prepare better for the future. They may think saving isn’t necessary now since they are still young and lack of experience. Once they grow up, they ‘ll understand that it makes good sense.