How to be a better saver 如何成為攢錢高手？

俗話說：未雨綢繆，積谷防饑。存點錢以備不時之需非常重要。但存錢這件事情說起來容易，做起來難。我們如何能夠提高攢錢的能力？本期 “隨身英語” 節目與你分享一些存錢的小竅門。

詞匯：money 金錢

We often try to save money for a variety of different reasons. It might be to save up for a new computer, put money aside into a rainy-day fund or put a deposit down for a mortgage on a house. Learning how to save is important, but a recent study showed that over half of all 22 – 29-year-olds living in the UK have no savings at all. Did they splurge and splash out on too many things, or are there other factors? And how can we become better savers?

Many young people in the UK choose to live away from home, and the cost of renting can impact the amount we can tuck away in our savings. On top of that, according to a 2017 study, there is a huge pay gap in people in their twenties in the UK, with the top 10% earning 4.3 times per week as the lowest earners. Possibly the mentality of ‘saving more when I earn more’ has crept in. However, there were some positives, with the number of people in debt, not including student loans for university, having fallen from 49% 10 years ago to 37%.

So, how can we improve our ability to save? First off, put a stop to those impulse buys. Ask yourself if you really need to buy something, even if it is on sale or looks like a bargain. One way you could control your spending urges is by using cash rather than card. Withdrawing cash before you go to a restaurant or shopping sets a fixed budget you must adhere to. Also, any change that comes from your transactions when you’re using cash can be put in jar and deposited into your account. Finally, setting up a standing order from your current account into your savings just after you receive your salary will ensure you have some money set aside for a time that you might need it. Just after getting paid is a good idea for this as it means you save before you’ve had the chance to spend.

While there is some good news about debt for the twenty-somethings in the UK, the fact that over half have no savings is seen as a cause for concern. While it could be due to some economic disparity, there may be some other factors at play. However, there are some actions we can take to help us all become better savers.

詞匯表

save up 存錢，儲蓄
rainy-day fund 應急備用金
mortgage 按揭貸款
splurge 揮霍
splash out 隨意花錢
tuck away 攢起來
savings 存款，儲蓄金
pay gap 收入差距
creep in 悄悄出現
in debt 負債
impulse 一時沖動
on sale 打折
bargain 便宜貨，減價品
urge 沖動
cash 現金
budget 預算
change （找換的）零錢
transaction 交易
deposit 存入，存款
standing order 定期付款指令，預轉存訂單
ensure 確保
disparity 差異

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. True or False? Just less than half of all twenty-somethings in the UK have no savings.

2. What is the pay gap between the highest and lowest earners?

3. What should we ask ourselves before making a purchase?

4. What is the benefit of withdrawing money before you go to a restaurant?

5. Why is saving just after you’ve been paid a good idea?

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I’ve decided to _______ out on a new car this year.

splash tuck away urge change

2. You need to buy that bag. It’s a _______.

tuck away budget deposit bargain

3. Sometimes I get the _______ to spend money!

change rainy urge disparity

4. Will you be paying in _______ or by card?

tuck away cash disparity impulse

5. I’m putting this money aside for my _______-day fund. You never know when times will get hard.

sunny happy bargain rainy

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. True or False? Just less than half of all twenty-somethings in the UK have no savings.
False. More than half of all twenty-somethings have no savings.

2. What is the pay gap between the highest and lowest earners?
According to a 2017 study, there is a huge pay gap in people in their twenties in the UK, with the top 10% earning 4.3 times as much per week as the lowest earners.

3. What should we ask ourselves before making a purchase?
Ask yourself if you really need to buy something, even if it is on sale or looks like a bargain.

4. What is the benefit of withdrawing money before you go to a restaurant?
You set yourself a fixed budget that you cannot exceed.

5. Why is saving just after you’ve been paid a good idea?
Because it means you save before you have a chance to spend.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I’ve decided to splash out on a new car this year.

2. You need to buy that bag. It’s a bargain.

3. Sometimes I get the urge to spend money!

4. Will you be paying in cash or by card?

5. I’m putting this money aside for my rainy-day fund. You never know when times will get hard.