Unit 3
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY…
NB! Information for self-study
Look at the words, their definitions and examples. Work out their translations:
| Definition | Example | Translation |
| bargain n. something on sale at a lower price than its true value | This coat was half-price, a real bargain. The airline regularly offers last-minute bookings at bargain prices. | |
| mortgage (mortgage payment) n. an agreement which allows you to borrow money from a bank or similar organization, esp. in order to buy a house or apartment, or the amount of money itself | If you fail to repay the mortgage, the bank will repossess your house. They took out a £40 000 mortgage (= They borrowed £40 000) to buy the house. | |
| refund v, n to return the sum of money in exchange of the already bought goods | When the holiday trip was cancelled, the travel agency refunded everybody the price of the tickets. I returned the useless radio to the shop where I bought it and got a refund. | |
| receipt n. C a piece of paper which proves that money, goods or information have been received | Make sure you are given a receipt for everything you buy. Shops will not normally give you a refund for goods unless you show them a receipt. | |
| rip off phrasal verb infml. to cheat (someone) by charging them too much money | We didn't know how much it was likely to cost and they just rippedusoff. Everybody else is paying less - I think we've been ripped off. |
Topic Vocabulary Exercises
Exercise 1
Explain the difference between the following words. Consult an English-English dictionary:
· cash / currency –
· account / bill / check / receipt–
· checking (current) account / savings account –
· to change money / to exchange money –
· to deposit / to invest –
· to save / to collect –
· to withdraw / to overdraw –
· exchange rate / interest rate –
· bond / stock –
· interest / percentage –
· to loan / to lend / to borrow –
· rich, wealthy / prosperous –
· poor / bankrupt / broke –
· bargain / rip off –
· economic / economical –
· cost of living / standard of living –
Exercise 2
Give the opposites (antonyms) of the following words:
· to save money –
· to deposit –
· to borrow –
· to owe –
· wealth –
· well-off –
· prosperity –
· lender –
Exercise 3
Word-building. Fill in the tables. Use a dictionary if necessary.
| adjective | abstract noun |
| poor | |
| prosperous | |
| wealth | |
| luxury | |
| bankrupt |
| verb | noun (what? thing) | noun (who? person) |
| to borrow | ||
| to buy | ||
| to deposit | ||
| to earn | ||
| to invest | ||
| to lend | ||
| to owe | debt | |
| to pay | ||
| to save | saver, miser | |
| to spend | ||
| to withdraw | ---- | |
| to waste |
Exercise 4
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Choose the most suitable word in the sentence:
1. The waiter finally brought us the account / bill.
2. I prefer to hold / to keep all my money in a bank.
3. I’m just a student that’s why I’m always bankrupt / broke. Can you borrow / lend me ten bucks?
4. The bank lent / loaned me $5.000 for three months.
5. I’ve paid back almost all the money. Now I owe only $254 to my lender / debtor.
6. Dad, we are going shopping; can I borrow / lend your car?
7. My stockbroker deposited / invested all my money in FESCO shares / cheques.
8. I don’t go to this supermarket anymore because the tellers / cashiers are very rude and slow.
9. The economical / economic situation in our country leaves much to be desired.
10. If you need to collect / to save some money, stop buying up all fashion magazines.
11. They are such a strange couple. She is a true spendthrift / miser and buys up everything she sees in a shop.
12. Mary’s parents are well-off / hard up, she can never afford going to the movies.
13. She never wastes any money. She is terribly economical / economic.
14. A recent survey shows that a woman’s cost of living / standard of living falls on average by 42 percent after divorce.
Exercise 5
Match the word with its definition:
| 1. Broke, adj. 2. Bankrupt, adj. 3. Currency, n. 4. Money, n. 5. Cash, n. 6. Check/ cheque, n.. 7. Loan, v. 8. Borrow, v. 9. Lend, v. 10. Owe, v. 11. Deposit, v. 12. Withdraw, v. 13. Well-off, adj. 14. Badly-off, adj. 15. Debtor, n. 16. Lender/ creditor, n. 17. Statement, n. 18. Savings/deposit account, n. 19. Checking/ current account, n. 20. Teller, n. 21. ATM/ Cash dispenser, n. 22. Change, n. 23. Investment, n. 24. Overdraw, v. 25. Poverty, n. 26. Luxury, n. 27. Prosperity, n. | a) a person, group or organization that owes money b) having no money c) not having much money, poor d) to put money or something valuable in a bank or other place where it will be safe e) what you earn by working and what you spend in order to buy things f) to take money out of a bank account g) the system or type of money that a particular country uses h) having more money than many other people, or enough money to have good standard of living i) money in the form of coins or notes rather than cheques, credit cards j) unable to pay your debts k) a condition of having money and everything that is needed for a good life l) to use something that belongs to someone else and that you must give back to them later m) someone who money is owed to n) a list showing amounts of money paid, received, owing etc. and their total o) one of a set of printed pieces of paper that you can sign and use instead of money to pay for things p) a bank account that pays interest on condition that you keep money there for a particular length of time q) the money that people have put into a company, business, or a bank in order to get a profit r) to lend someone something especially, money s) to spend more money than is in a bank account and thus owe the bank money t) very great comfort and pleasure, such as you get from expensive food, beautiful houses, cars etc. u) money that you get back when you have paid for something with more money than it costs; money in the form of coins v) the situation or experience of being poor w) to have to pay someone for sth. that they have done for you or sold to you, or to have to give someone back money that they have lent you x) a machine outside a bank that you use to get money from your account y) someone whose job is to receive and pay out money in a bank z) a bank account that you can take money out of at any time z2) to let someone borrow money from you or use something that you own, which they will give you back later |
Exercise 6
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A. Fill in missing letters:
| C.. r. n c. | P r. s p. r.. s | S.. t. m.. t |
| W.. h d r.. | . v. r d.. w | A..o. n t |
| L. x. r..u s | B. n. r. p..y | W..t e |
| C. n g. | C. e.. e | R. c..p t |
B. Jumbled words:
| 1. yomen __________ | 2. supperosro ___________ |
| 3. roluuxsiu _________ | 4. pestoid ____________ |
| 5. sierm ____________ | 6. ruyerncc ____________ |
| 7. drahwtwi __________ | 8. lednre _____________ |
| 9. brtoed ______________ | 10. rypoetv _____________ |
Exercise 7
A. Practice saying the following numbers:
3 12 20 14 40 60 16 87 99 103 264 6007 5038 8782 19,676 15,306 8,112,590 5,950,388
B. Make these numbers ordinal:
3 12 20 14 40 60 16 87 99 103 264 6007 5038 8782 19,676 15,306 8,112,590 5,950,388
C. fractions, decimals, percentages:
¾ 5.3 25% 23.147 100% 1.056 15 2/3
D. telephone numbers:
095 638 200 516 516 411 294 703 55 55 55 788 004 119
E. dates:
13/12/1989 03/08/2003 05/10/1976 09/05/1945 26/01/2009
Exercise 8
Quiz on numbers:
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1. How many continents are there in the world?________________
2. When did Gagarin fly into space?_____________________
3. How many states does U.S. consist of?_________________
4. When did Great October Revolution in Russia take place?_______________
5. How many cents are there in one dollar?_________________
6. When did World War II begin? Great Patriotic War?___________________
7. How many days are there in a year? in a leap year?____________________
8. What is the population of Russia?_____________________________
9. How many grams are in one pound / ounce?_____________________
10. How many cm are in one foot / yard / inch?________________________
11. How many liters are in one gallon / pint?__________________________
12. When was Vladivostok / Moscow / St. Petersburg founded?_____________
Exercise 9
Translate the sentences into Russian paying attention to Topic Vocabulary:
1. “George Farnsworth,” I said sternly, “if you’re short of cash, just ask straight out for a loan, okay?” 2. Science needs to survive its own blunders, at any cost. 3. If CERN goes bankrupt, destroyed by scandal, everybody loses. 4. No cashing cheque today – the bank would be closed before he could get there. 5. She withdrew a hundred dollars from the ATM near her office in preparation for her trip. But she didn’t take her checkbook or credit cards. That way there’d be no danger of blowing more than she could afford, not that she could afford even a hundred, given her salaries and expenses. 6. They were wearing matching sundresses, sandals that tied around their ankles, strawberry-flavored lip gloss, and dangling earrings – all purchased with Lamb’s credit card, which Caitlin had borrowed to take Vix for a shopping spree for her birthday. 7. “If I could afford to lose money, I should be rather short after I bought a new ticket – for there’s all the cash I’ve got on me,” and he laid a 500 mark bank-note on the table. 8. At last the waiter wandered away – stopped at a table, collected a bill, wandered farther. 9. Last year his income had been $980,000, but he had to pay out $21,000 a month for the $1.8 million loan he had taken out to buy an apartment. 10. I’m saving up for a rainy day. 11. He didn’t have the slightest idea of what $10,000 in 100 dollar bills would look like. 12. I helped out girlfriends in London, paid their dental bills if they were short of cash, picked up bill s in restaurants, lent money to a couple of friends – and each time I handed the cash over not expecting to see it again. 13. No matter how much poor girls earn, they are often unable to save because of the family ever-increasing demands. 14. No one in his right mind would accuse a wealthy doctor of robbing a penniless secretary.
Exercise 10
Answer the following questions using words from Topic Vocabulary:
1. What is the currency of China?
2. What other currencies do you know?
3. Are they all hard currencies?
4. What is the exchange rate of one dollar to ruble for today? Euro to ruble? Yen to ruble?
5. Have you got a credit card? What is more convenient: to pay in cash or by credit card?
6. Where in Vladivostok can you pay by credit card?
7. Do you always count your change?
8. Have you ever lent money to anyone?
9. What is the maximum sum of money you can afford to lend?
10. Which do you prefer: to lend or to borrow?
11. What are the advantages and disadvantages of opening a) a checking account; b) a savings account?
12. What is the cost of living in Vladivostok?
13. What countries have the highest standard of living? the lowest?
Exercise 11
Translate from Russian into English paying attention to the words from Topic Vocabulary:
Есть люди, которые очень любят деньги. Они любят их в любых видах: в наличных, чеках, в серебряных долларах, в кредитных картах или просто в виде кругленькой (round) суммы на банковском счете. Они любят купаться в деньгах (to roll in money), тратя их налево и направо (to fritter away), покупая шикарные машины и одежду. Они живут в роскошных особняках и едят изысканную еду, пьют дорогие вина и не задумываются ни на минуту, что одним прекрасным днем деньги могут закончиться, и они будут разорены. И тогда кредиторы будут преследовать их и днем, и ночью, чтобы заставить их вернуть все долги, да еще и с процентами.
Есть же люди, которые любят деньги зарабатывать, а не тратить. Они берегут каждый пени. Каждый свободный (spare) доллар вкладывается в дело. Деньги должны приносить (делать) деньги – вот девиз таких бизнесменов, поэтому они держат деньги в банке, накапливая проценты. Деньги вкладываются в прибыльные предприятия, акции которых могут приносить высокий доход. Такие бизнесмены не знают, что такое наличные деньги, они пользуются только кредитными картами или чеками, или имеют свой накопительный (charge) счет в магазинах или ресторанах. Возможно, они не смогут отличить поддельную банкноту от настоящей (genuine).
Не знаю, кто из этих типов людей счастливее. Когда-то и я был богат, но моя компания обанкротилась, я стал должником всех и вся. После того как мне удалось выплатить все долги, я решил, что теперь я не буду зависеть от денег, поэтому я выбрал для себя иной образ жизни. Теперь я живу под мостом без гроша в кармане. Питаюсь тем, что найду, ношу то, что дадут добрые люди. Зато я свободен, могу делать, что хочу. Я стал сам себе хозяином и не боюсь, что кредиторы будут меня искать.
Exercise 12
Translate from Russian into English paying attention to the words from Topic Vocabulary:
- Как ты думаешь, сколько я выложила за эту сумку?
- Да она, наверное, стоит целое состояние!
- Да уж, ты права. У меня не оказалось при себе столько наличных, чтобы ее приобрести, пришлось расплатиться кредитной картой. Представляешь, а сегодня мне из банка пришла выписка счета, оказывается, я исчерпала свой счет, и теперь некредитоспособна.
- Тебе нужно отнести эту сумку обратно в магазин и потребовать обратно деньги. У тебя остался чек? В следующий раз нужно заходить только в те магазины, на которых есть вывеска – распродажа. Такие магазины предоставляют скидки. А вещи со скидкой могут стоить в 2 раза дешевле.
- Да, ты права, эти дорогие магазины – просто обдираловка.
Ко всему прочему налоги год от года растут. Моя тетушка очень слаба, и вот-вот я получу от нее наследство. Ты не представляешь, какой высокий в нашей стране налог на наследство – 30%.
- Как в старом анекдоте – ваш дядюшка оставил вам в наследство 1 млн. долларов - после уплаты налогов и долгов вы нам еще должны $5.10
- Мой муж занимается ввозом машин, так он говорит, что таможенные пошлины выросли почти в 2 раза.
- Курс рубля падает, экономика страны переживает кризис, количество людей, получающих пособие по безработице, по инвалидности и пенсии растет. А за все платим мы, работающие.
- Да, стоимость жизни дорожает. Плата за учебу и за услуги увеличивается! Как мы будем жить дальше?
Word Power Exercises
Exercise 13
Answer the questions using words from the Word Power. Explain your point of view:
- Are you/your parents saving money for something right now? If yes, where do you keep it? Do you think it is wise to save for a rainy day?
- Are you a big spender? What things do you usually spend money on?
- Do you think you could marry money?
- Do you always count your change?
- What is the sign that the person is in depression?
- Do you believe that people born under the same star sign have the same character?
- In what situation would you prefer not to talk but to sign?
- Do you agree with the proverb: So many men, so many minds? Do you know any other sayings with the same meaning?
- Being a student what information should you always keep/bear in mind?
- What kind of information usually slips your mind?
- Is it difficult for you to make up your mind (what dress to buy, what to wear, what to do first)?Do you often change your mind after you have made a decision?
- Do you mind people smoking around you, for example in a café?
- Whom or in what situation do you most often say ‘mind your own business’?
- How do you feel when people tell you ‘mind your own business’?
- Do you usually doubt people’s honesty?
- Are you a doubting Thomas? What kind of person would you call a doubting Thomas?
- Are you doubtful about your exams in the end of this term?
- What is the key to happiness?
- What is the key to a man’s heart? to your heart?
- Where do you keep your keys?
- Have you ever lost any keys? How did it happen?
- Is it easy to hurt your feelings? How can a stranger hurt your feelings?
- How can you hurt your teacher’s feelings? How can a teacher hurt your feelings?
Exercise 14
Translate the sentences into Russian. Define the meaning of the words from the Word Power:
1. But Vix knew her parents would do anything to have plenty of money. 2. They were working as a team for Dynamo, a cleaning service, earning good money. 3. I’ve got the document in my pocket and also the change for 500 dollars. 4. The bar turned out to be very easy to spot: front window glass with DOUGALL’S slashed carelessly across as if sign painter had barely found the energy for the job. 5. But if you looked upon it as a cross that was given you to bear only because your shoulders were strong enough to bear it, a sign of God’s favor, then it would be a source of happiness to you instead of misery. 6. Now she was holding the check at arm’s length and studying her signature. 7. Langdon read the sign before them. SECURITY. 8. Dorset cleared her throat and took her time signing the charge slip. 9. The stranger noticed that sign and was quite pleased with the response. 10. I was looking toward the line of taxicabs, hoping she would change her mind and take one. 11. There was no one he liked to ask at school, so he kept the question he had in mind till the Christmas holidays, and then one day he made an opportunity. 12. Nowadays it seemed to me that anyone in his rightmind would have to want Sophia for his own. 13. We had never discussed getting married, but I think lately it had been on both our minds. 14. He was a little frightened at his own boldness, but he had made up his mind exactly what words to use, and, though his heart beat violently, he forced himself to say them. 15. Not quite in their right minds, they went up all together to the hotel and sat down to tea, except Halliday, who was lying down in his room. 16. Vittoria heard the words in her mind, but she was unable to process them. 17. Do you mind putting aside that gray dress for me? 18. I called her Stella! I wonder if she minded. 19. He had been awake all night, but sleep was the last thing on his mind. 20. Could you mind the children for me for five minutes? 21. The clerk hesitated, and then chanced one more appeal: “You must bear in mind, sir, that the risks are serious. Ten years in Siberia for being in Russia without a passport.” 22. You’d better mind your p’s and q’s when you meet Julia’s parents. 23. Familiarity was not the sort of thing you were supposed to mind these days, but Sherman minded it. 24. No doubt, he was glad of the excuse. 25. I doubt my visits are anything she looks forward to. 26. In among the apple trees it was still dark, and he stood making sure of his direction, feeling the rough grass with his feet. And among these trees he was seized with doubts of everything. 27. He suddenly felt a wave of panic, realizing where he was. 28. You think we’re still in the thirties, when people left their front doors unlocked and their keys in the ignition. 29. Kohler reached his pocket and began sifting through a large key ring. “The residents are in their labs,” Kohler replied, finding the key. 30. It seemed to me she felt more comfortable with women. 31. How come I always got the feeling that someone was missing from our family table? 32. “Isn’t it ridiculous,” she told me, “how even in the face of death it still matters that the price of oranges has gone up, and an impolite delivery boy can still hurt your feelings?” 33. But on Amber there had now come a feeling of paralysis. 34. When someone you love has just died, the last thing you feel like doing is heading up to the high street to do a little shopping.
Exercise 15
Fill in the gaps:
A. with the prepositions and connecting words, where it is necessary:
1. We’ve spent a lot of money …………... this house.
2. I have had to borrow money ……….. my family.
3. I hope this watch isn’t broken – I paid good money …… it.
4. Have you got any money …… you?
5. Her bike ride will help raise money …….. charity.
6. I put my money …….. three horses, and they all lost.
7. Why are you investing all the money ……….a day-care centre?
8. She began tapping her foot, a sure sign ……. annoyance.
9. He turned and gave the familiar thumbs-up sign ……… the crowd.
10. I couldn’t see any signs …… progress.
11. He was so thin there was no sign …. shoulders under his black jacket.
12. She tried to think of something interesting to say, but the ocean wasn’t number one ……. her mind.
13. I’m …….. two minds ……….. accepting the job.
14. You must be …… ……. your mind to want to see him again.
15. Bear …….. mind that young children will put anything in their mouths.
16. Come on, make …… your mind! Which bag are you buying?
17. …… my mind, their behavior is unreasonable.
18. My mind is made ……... Nothing will make me change it.
19. The future of the company is still ……….. doubt.
20. I have no doubt …………. he will succeed.
21. He is still …………. some doubt about whether to go or not.
22. No …………… about it – we’ve got problems.
23. He was doubtful …………….. the accuracy of the results.
24. The board was doubtful ………….. her estimates were realistic.
25. Women farmers are key …….. China’s economic development.
26. Where’s the key …… the back door?
27. I felt ……. going for a walk.
28. I don’t know how Mary feels ……… eating meat.
29. I love the feel …….. this jacket.
30. Do you feel ……. going for a swim?
31. I feel ……. a cup of coffee.
32. A feeling ….. nausea came over her.
33. She had lost all her feeling ………. her arm.
34. She thought about Tawny’s advice and felt proud for knowing how to keep her feelings ……….. herself.
B. with words and set expressions from Word Power:
1. Besides, she had a second job lined up determined to earn her own spending …………………….. 2. If you have a bank account, you can pay for things with a ……… 3. I don’t have any ………, I’ll have to pay with a ………... 4. We don’t accept foreign ………….., I’m afraid. 5. He had no job so there was no ………. coming in. 6. They gave Julia the best education that ………. can buy. 7. Hold on – I’m not made of ………….., you know. 8. She’ll be late. You can put …………. on it. 9. He had somehow missed the …………. that she was upset. 10. Ann took his silence as a ……………. of rejection. 11. Looking back now, I realize I failed to spot the warning …………….... 12. When we came out of the station there was no ……………. of her. 13. Several people were ignoring the no-smoking …………….... 14. Mandy winked, our …………. to each other to remain silent. 15. The only …………. of life in the house was the light from a television. 16. Players from both teams were …………. autographs before the game. 17. The contract must be ………………. before we can proceed with the work. 18. Is this your ………………. on the letter? 19. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ ‘……………., I’ll do it myself.’ 20. I need a walk to clear my …………….... 21. I can’t keep my …………… on work when it’s so sunny outside. 22. At the back of her …………….., she knew he was lying. 23. I’ll go out of my ……………. with boredom if I have to stay in this job. 24. It crossed my ……………. that maybe Alan was right. 25. Yes, I’d love a coffee; you must’ve read my ……………………. 26. You should never be afraid to speak your ……………… 27. Carry on with your conversation; don’t …… me. 28. There seems to be some ………. as to whether this is legal. 29. You still seem a bit …………….. Are you sure you want to marry him? 30. Already the whole project was looking ………….. 31. It is ……………… whether he will survive. 32. I could hear someone turning the …………. in the lock. 33. Proper planning is the ……….. to success. 34. Highlight the file you want and press the RETURN ………….. 35. This economic model has the following …………. features. 36. He never ……….. at ease with interviewers or photographers. 37. The clock said it was only eight o’clock but it ……… like midnight. 38. She ………. the child’s forehead to see if he was feverish. 39. You hair ………. so soft. 40. I ……….. around on the ground but couldn’t find the torch. 41. Sarah has very strong …………. about environmental issues. 42. The minister underestimated the strength of public ……… on this issue. 43. When I woke up I had no …………. in my legs.
Exercise 16
Translate from Russian into English:
A.
1. Ты не возражаешь, если я схожу в магазин без тебя?
2. Ты не возражаешь, если я куплю эту юбку?
3. Ты не возражаешь, если я возьму твою машину?
4. Ты не возражаешь, если я воспользуюсь твоей ручкой?
5. Обрати внимание на то, как ты произносишь эти слова.
6. Обрати внимание на то, как ты пишешь.
7. Обрати внимание на то, как нужно использовать это слово.
8. Осторожнее с выражениями.
9. Осторожно, машина приближается.
10. Следи за своим поведением (манерами).
11. Хочется поспать.
12. Хочется прогуляться.
13. Хочется покушать.
14. Хочется сходить потратить деньги.
15. Путь к сердцу мужчины лежит через его желудок.
16. Ключ от квартиры я держу в кармане брюк.
17. Ключи к этому упражнению вы можете найти в конце книги.
18. Когда я задаю личные вопросы, она отвечает мне «это не твое дело».
19. Запомни, что ты должна приходить на работу раньше начальника.
20. Я сомневаюсь, что он вернет кредит банку.
21. Боюсь, что этот сомнительный проект закроют.
22. Я почувствовала, как он начинает краснеть от моего комплимента.
23. Я почувствовала, как моя кровь начинает кипеть от злости.
24. Потрогай, какая мягкая эта ткань.
25. Что ты думаешь о проблеме наркомании?
26. Что ты думаешь по этому поводу?
27. Она подала мне знак, чтобы я вошла.
28. Она подала знак официанту, чтобы он принес счет.
29. Служащий подал мне знак, чтобы я поставил свою подпись на бланке.
30. Он человек с очень сомнительной репутацией. Я не хочу одалживать ему денег.
31. Он вечно сомневается, как Фома неверующий.
B.
1. Деньги можно держать в банке, где на них будут идти проценты. 2. Я собираюсь потратить свои карманные деньги на новую одежду. 3. В витрине магазина висела табличка с надписью «Закрыто». 4. Мой секретарь принесет вам бумаги на подпись сегодня после обеда. 5. Пожалуйста, распишитесь здесь и поставьте сегодняшнее число. 6. Он попросил меня не совать свой нос в чужие дела. 7. Мне холодно, ты не против, если я закрою окно. – Да, пожалуйста. 8. Осторожно, не пролей молоко. 9. Надеюсь, ты сможешь заставить своего брата передумать, и он пойдет с нами на вечеринку. 10. Футбольная команда лишилась двух главных игроков из-за травм. 11. Я чувствовал, что за мной следят. 12. Не стесняйтесь, звоните в любое время дня и ночи. 13. Прости, я забыла вернуть тебе книгу, которую я взяла у тебя на время на прошлой неделе. Совсем выскочило из головы. - Ничего страшного, у меня пока нет времени читать ее. 14. Иногда мне хочется просто ничего не делать, побыть дома, чтобы все оставили меня в покое. 15. Если супруги сомневаются в верности друг друга – это верный признак приближающегося развода.
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Exercise 17
а) Read the following information. Express your opinion on the best ways to save your money.
b) What tips do you consider to be reasonable and to be worth following in Russian context.
c) Write down your own list of money saving tips and share it with the group mates.
Make your pay packet stretch
The Daily Telegraph's Money & You editor Joanna Tovia provides an easy way to use savings plan that really works.
With the end of the financial year approaching, taxpayers will soon be filling out their tax returns in the hope of receiving a hefty refund. But most people will also get a shock when they realise how much income they earned, and how little of it they can account for. Here Joanna has compiled a list of money saving tips from Margaret Bertling's book Debt Buster.
Turn all appliances, including TVs and microwaves off at the wall -- that alone will save about $100 a year.
Keep your refrigerator clean and defrosted -- an overloaded, dusty fridge can double the running cost from 30c to 60c a day, a saving of $109.50 a year.
Turn down the heat. Raising the temperature in your home just one degree will hike up your heating bill 10 per cent. Insulate, close doors and throw on a jumper.
Every minute in the shower, 20 litres of water goes down the drain. If two people who shower once a day each reduce their showers from eight minutes to five, they'll save 44,000 litres a year. According to Sydney Water, that's a saving of $40.70.
Make your lunch rather than buying it at work every day. Save $1920.
Instead of signing up at the gym go walking, running or swimming.
If you smoke and can't give up then try cutting back by one pack per week. Save $450.
Even a simple meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost $60 for two, so cutting back on one meal a month may save you at least $720 a year.
Fix dripping taps and install a controlled flow shower head. For two adults, save at least $125 a year.
Change light globes to compact fluorescents and save about $60 per year (and they last eight times longer).
Use your mobile phone only in emergencies.
Don't do a food shop when you're hungry. You will spend more.
Set yourself an annual limit for clothes, and divide this between summer and winter.
Find out how much you are being charged in bank fees. Change accounts, or the way you use your existing account to cut costs.
When attending major events, take your own food and drink if possible, particularly at major sporting venues. Organizers take advantage of having a captive audience to greatly increase the price of food and drink. Most sporting venues will allow you to bring your own hamper. When buying a computer, don't go for the latest, smallest, faster, coolest thing. Generally, a model that is six months old will be more than sufficient for most computing requirements-and cheaper as well.
When opening mail, check to see if the stamps have been franked. If not, peel them off and reuse them. You'd be surprised at how often the post office franking machine misses the stamp.
For children who love body and hair glitter, mix some vaseline (no-name brand) and glitter for a cheaper option.
For a cheap hair de-tangle spray, dissolve two tablespoons of conditioner (a cheap brand will do) in hot water. Place in a spray bottle.
If you are expecting, be organized. Know what clothes you have and need, so that when people ask you what to buy you can say, "summer clothes for a one-year-old would be really fantastic". Otherwise, you will end up with 20 outfits for a three-month-old. Your baby might wear only half of these, then three months later you will probably have to buy 10 outfits because you don't have any clothes in the next size.
The tubes and small sachets of tomato paste are fairly expensive although very handy. The bigger tubs and jars are cheap but can go off before you can use it all. The solution? Freeze it in blocks in an ice-cube tray then keep the blocks in a freezer bag.
Instead of buying ready-made dip, buy sour cream and a pack of French onion soup mix (Home Brand, of course). Mix half the soup packet into the sour cream -- you get twice as much and it tastes brilliant.
Buying a can of Coca-Cola ($1.50) and a packet of chips ($1.40) from a vending machine every workday will cost you $58 a month. Buying the exact same items from a supermarket will cost about $29. The $29 saving may not seem much, but it certainly adds up over the year ($348).
A great way to clean floors is to use vinegar mixed with hot water. It leaves polished floors with a shine, does not have any toxic cleaning fumes, is natural and is friendly for the environment.
To make an all-purpose household cleaner, pour half a cup of vinegar into a spray bottle, fill the bottle up with cold water and then add about one teaspoon of ammonia. Shake the bottle and use this to clean kitchen benchtops, stoves, windows and bathrooms. It is especially great for dirty saucepans.
To make a cheap window cleaner, add two tablespoons of washing-up detergent and half a cup of methylated spirits to a plastic spray bottle. Top this up with water. Apply to windows with damp newspaper (wear plastic gloves as the print will dirty hands), and wipe off with dry newspaper.
Watch out for houses being sold for demolition or redevelopment and ask the owners for plants from their garden. This is best done after the sale but before contracts are exchanged and the owners (sellers) move out.
(found in the Internet)
Rendering
Exercise 18
Read the following article. Enumerate the money saving tips that are mentioned in the text.
ЛИЧНЫЕ СЧЕТЫ
Этих четыре нехитрых правила позволят вам содержать свои финансы в порядке.
Соблазнительные условия кредитования, наперебой предлагаемые разными банками, могут сыграть с вами злую шутку. По статистике Центробанка, в этом году по сравнению с прошлым объем непогашенных в срок кредитов возрос в два раза. Эксперты Glamour советуют, как занимать и расплачиваться с умом, какого размера накопления следует делать и какие цифры при этом нужно держать в голове.
2 банковские карточки – и ни единой больше!
3аведите себе одну дебетовую карту (на нее вам будут перечислять зарплату, туда же можно переводить деньги для погашения кредитов) и одну кредитную - для краткосрочных займов. Как показывает практика, большее количество кредитных карт уже трудно контролировать, и вы наверняка когда-нибудь пропустите льготный период погашения.
Эксперт "Две карты - как два кошелька, удобно, когда одна отвечает за рублевый счет, а другая - за евро и используется в Европе. Многие карты, выпущенные банками вместе с торговыми сетями, дают бонусы: например, карты «Аэрофлот» Сбербанка и Miles&More Ситибанка позволяют сэкономить на перелетах, Visa Electron МДМ-Банка дает 5-процентную скидку в «Седьмом континенте», - объясняет Андрей Чистяков, вице-президент Промсвязьбанка. - Не жадничайте: пять карт - повод заподозрить вас в том, что вы занимаете в одном банке, чтобы отдать долг в другом».
процентов дохода откладывайте на старость
По статистике фонда «Общественное мнение», большинство россиян (67%) вообще не имеют сбережений.Поэтому на черный день вам нужен резерв, равный трехмесячному доходу.
Эксперт «Проанализируйте свои расходы, и вы обнаружите, что минимум 10 % вы тратите на вещи, которые вам не нужны. Так почему бы не отложить эти деньги, чтобы в старости жить без оглядки на размер государственной пенсии?» - спрашивает Елена Никитина, финансовый советник консалтинговой группы «Личный капитал».