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English Podcast for Easy English Conversation | Learn English in Daily Life | Save Money Or Enjoy? — Transcript

by Speak English With Class · 4,065 words · 660 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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  1. 0:00English Leap Podcast
  2. 0:02>> from Speak English with Claus. [music]
  3. 0:05Hey English learners, welcome back to
  4. 0:08the English Leap Podcast. Your cozy
  5. 0:10place to learn easy English through real
  6. 0:13conversations and improve your life at
  7. 0:15the same time. I am Anna
  8. 0:18>> and I am Jake. Okay, quick question
  9. 0:20before we become wise and emotionally
  10. 0:22deep today. [laughter]
  11. 0:24>> Oh no, that usually means trouble.
  12. 0:27>> It does. All right, everyone listening,
  13. 0:29imagine this. You get paid today. Salary
  14. 0:33comes in, phone in hand, bank app open.
  15. 0:37What do you do in the first 5 minutes?
  16. 0:40>> Ooh, that is good.
  17. 0:42>> Option one, transfer money to savings
  18. 0:45immediately. Option two, open a shopping
  19. 0:48app. Option three, check travel deals
  20. 0:51like you are suddenly a mysterious rich
  21. 0:53person. Option four, pretend to be
  22. 0:56responsible and then order expensive
  23. 0:58food.
  24. 1:00>> Why is option four so specific?
  25. 1:03>> Because we are here to tell the truth.
  26. 1:07>> Okay. Honestly, I think a lot of people
  27. 1:10listening just got exposed.
  28. 1:12>> Exactly. And that is why today is going
  29. 1:14to be fun because this topic is not
  30. 1:16theoretical. It lives in our bank
  31. 1:19accounts, our habits, our guilt and our
  32. 1:21late night decisions.
  33. 1:23>> Yes. Today we are talking about a
  34. 1:25question almost everyone struggles with
  35. 1:27whether they admit it or not.
  36. 1:30>> Save money or enjoy life now.
  37. 1:34>> Right. The question that can start as a
  38. 1:36simple conversation and somehow become a
  39. 1:39full identity crisis. [laughter]
  40. 1:41>> Yes. Because it sounds like a money
  41. 1:43question but it is really also a life
  42. 1:46question.
  43. 1:47>> Right. It's about security and freedom,
  44. 1:51responsibility and pleasure. future
  45. 1:53goals and present happiness
  46. 1:55[laughter and gasps]
  47. 1:56>> and guilt. A lot of guilt.
  48. 1:59>> So much guilt. The guilt after spending,
  49. 2:02the guilt after not spending. Sometimes
  50. 2:04people cannot win.
  51. 2:06>> Exactly. You buy something and think
  52. 2:08that was irresponsible. You do not buy
  53. 2:10it and think, "Am I even enjoying my
  54. 2:13life?"
  55. 2:13>> And maybe some of you listening know
  56. 2:15that feeling very well.
  57. 2:17>> Right? If you do, you are definitely not
  58. 2:20alone. Also, I already know Jake and I
  59. 2:22will not agree on everything in this
  60. 2:24episode.
  61. 2:25>> Excuse me. I am a very balanced person.
  62. 2:29>> You are balanced in the sense that you
  63. 2:30save money and then somehow spend it in
  64. 2:33a very meaningful way. [laughter]
  65. 2:36>> That is not spending. That is strategic
  66. 2:39joy.
  67. 2:41>> See, this is what I mean.
  68. 2:42>> But honestly, this is such a useful
  69. 2:45topic for English learners because this
  70. 2:47is real conversation English. You can
  71. 2:49use this with friends, co-workers,
  72. 2:52family, classmates, and yes, also in
  73. 2:54your own head.
  74. 2:55>> And today we are not only sharing
  75. 2:57opinions, we are going to help you talk
  76. 3:00about priorities, spending habits,
  77. 3:03financial pressure, and life choices in
  78. 3:05more natural English.
  79. 3:07>> H this is a B2 level episode, so the
  80. 3:10conversation will stay clear and easy to
  81. 3:12follow, but we will also add some
  82. 3:14stronger vocabulary naturally as we go.
  83. 3:17And do not worry if you do not catch
  84. 3:19every single word the first time. Stay
  85. 3:22with the conversation, listen for the
  86. 3:24big ideas, and enjoy the flow.
  87. 3:26>> And if you are a strong B1 listener, you
  88. 3:29can absolutely stay with us, too. Some
  89. 3:32parts may challenge you, but that is a
  90. 3:34good thing. Listen again later and you
  91. 3:36will catch more.
  92. 3:37>> Also, we prepared a really strong word
  93. 3:40tour for this episode.
  94. 3:42>> Yes, and not the usual money, bank, buy,
  95. 3:44save package. We have better stuff
  96. 3:47today.
  97. 3:47>> We do. And later in the episode, we will
  98. 3:50slow it down and walk through the key
  99. 3:52words and expressions from today. So,
  100. 3:54you can actually use them when you talk
  101. 3:57about money, priorities, and everyday
  102. 3:59choices.
  103. 3:59>> And just like always, when one of these
  104. 4:01words appears for the first time in the
  105. 4:03conversation, one of us will quickly
  106. 4:06explain it in simple language so you can
  107. 4:08keep listening without getting lost.
  108. 4:10>> And before we go deeper, one small
  109. 4:13request. If you enjoy learning and
  110. 4:16thinking with us, please like this
  111. 4:17episode, subscribe to the channel, and
  112. 4:20share it with one friend who is either a
  113. 4:22saver, a spender, or a very creative I
  114. 4:26deserve this expert.
  115. 4:28>> Every like, comment, and share helps
  116. 4:30more learners find the English Leap
  117. 4:32podcast and tells YouTube, "This kind of
  118. 4:35real English conversation is useful,
  119. 4:37>> and we really love reading your
  120. 4:39comments."
  121. 4:40>> So, here's our question for you today.
  122. 4:42In the comments, write two things.
  123. 4:44Number one, are you more of a saver, a
  124. 4:47spender, or a balanced person?
  125. 4:49>> And number two, what is one thing you
  126. 4:52never regret spending money on?
  127. 4:54>> For example, balanced person. I never
  128. 4:57regret spending money on books. Or
  129. 4:59saver, I only splurge on travel. Or
  130. 5:03spender, working on it. [laughter]
  131. 5:06>> Spender, working on it is going to be
  132. 5:08very popular.
  133. 5:09>> Ooh, you sound seen. very seen and still
  134. 5:13choosing honesty
  135. 5:14>> and that honesty is exactly why this
  136. 5:16episode is going to be fun. So let us
  137. 5:19begin with the real trigger payday. The
  138. 5:22money arrives and suddenly one part of
  139. 5:24you wants to save while the other wants
  140. 5:26to celebrate. Why do we split like that?
  141. 5:29>> Because money is never only money. It is
  142. 5:32reward, stress, plans and emotion all
  143. 5:36arriving at the same time.
  144. 5:38>> M that is good. And when all that
  145. 5:40arrives together, your brain does what
  146. 5:42brains do. It starts negotiating.
  147. 5:46>> Yes. One side is the accountant, the
  148. 5:49other side is the party planner.
  149. 5:51>> Exactly. And somehow both sound
  150. 5:53completely reasonable.
  151. 5:55>> M the accountant says, "Think about your
  152. 5:58future." The party planner says, "Relax.
  153. 6:01You worked hard. You deserve joy."
  154. 6:03>> Yes. And the party planner always has
  155. 6:06better marketing.
  156. 6:07>> Better timing, too. Especially on
  157. 6:09payday.
  158. 6:10>> Yeah. For 10 minutes after salary day,
  159. 6:13people become a little delusional.
  160. 6:15>> A little
  161. 6:16>> fine. Very delusional. New budget, new
  162. 6:19habits, new life, new version of me.
  163. 6:22>> Like this month, I am disciplined,
  164. 6:25healthy, and financially wise.
  165. 6:28>> And by Friday, she had ordered sushi
  166. 6:30twice and bought a lamp.
  167. 6:32>> Stop. Why is the lamp always in these
  168. 6:35stories? Because random home items
  169. 6:37appear when emotions are driving.
  170. 6:39>> H that is too real.
  171. 6:42>> And that is usually when an impulse
  172. 6:44purchase happens.
  173. 6:45>> Right. An impulse purchase is when you
  174. 6:47buy something suddenly without planning
  175. 6:49it just because the feeling is strong in
  176. 6:51that moment.
  177. 6:52>> Exactly. And payday feelings are very
  178. 6:55persuasive.
  179. 6:56>> Okay. So if we all know this feeling,
  180. 6:59why do smart people still do it? Why is
  181. 7:01this so hard even when you know better?
  182. 7:04Such a good question and honestly
  183. 7:07because being smart does not stop you
  184. 7:10from being tired.
  185. 7:11>> Yes, that line alone explains half of
  186. 7:14adult life.
  187. 7:16>> It really does. A lot of money choices
  188. 7:18are not happening when we are calm and
  189. 7:21fresh. They happen when we are stressed,
  190. 7:24busy, or emotionally done.
  191. 7:27>> Exactly. Sometimes you are not buying a
  192. 7:30thing. You're buying relief.
  193. 7:32>> Yes. like I had a horrible day. Let me
  194. 7:34feel better for 10 minutes.
  195. 7:36>> And then future you wakes up and says,
  196. 7:39"Why did we do that?"
  197. 7:41>> Present you and future you are always in
  198. 7:44a toxic relationship.
  199. 7:46>> That is so accurate.
  200. 7:48>> And this is where delayed gratification
  201. 7:50becomes difficult.
  202. 7:52>> Yes, delayed gratification basically
  203. 7:55means waiting for a better reward later
  204. 7:58instead of taking a smaller reward now.
  205. 8:01like not buying the shoes this week
  206. 8:03because you were saving for a trip next
  207. 8:05month.
  208. 8:06>> And present you says future me is asking
  209. 8:09for too much.
  210. 8:12>> Present you always has a speech ready.
  211. 8:15>> True. And people do something else too.
  212. 8:17They buy first then they try to justify
  213. 8:20an expense after.
  214. 8:22>> Yes. Exactly. To justify an expense
  215. 8:25means you create a smart sounding reason
  216. 8:28after you already decided emotionally.
  217. 8:31>> Like I did not buy this expensive coffee
  218. 8:34machine for fun. I bought it for
  219. 8:36productivity.
  220. 8:37>> Yes. This jacket is not fashion. It is
  221. 8:41networking.
  222. 8:42>> This dessert is not dessert. It is
  223. 8:45emotional recovery.
  224. 8:47>> Yeah, that one has been used many times
  225. 8:50>> by you. Yes, I choose honesty.
  226. 8:53>> Fair. So yes, emotions make this hard.
  227. 8:57But now let us be fair to the saving
  228. 8:59side too because saving is not always
  229. 9:02fear. Sometimes saving is wisdom.
  230. 9:05>> Yes, and I am glad you said that. Saving
  231. 9:08can look boring from the outside, but it
  232. 9:10can feel like oxygen when life gets
  233. 9:12messy.
  234. 9:13>> Oxygen is a strong metaphor.
  235. 9:16>> It is because I learned that the hard
  236. 9:18way.
  237. 9:18>> Ooh, story time.
  238. 9:20A few years ago, I had one of those
  239. 9:22months where life sent me problems in a
  240. 9:25bundle. A payment arrived late. I had a
  241. 9:28repair bill and then a family expense
  242. 9:30came up.
  243. 9:31>> Ah, yes. The premium stress package.
  244. 9:34>> Exactly. And in that moment, I finally
  245. 9:37understood why people talk about a
  246. 9:39financial cushion.
  247. 9:41>> Right. A financial cushion is money you
  248. 9:44keep aside for unexpected situations so
  249. 9:46you have breathing room instead of
  250. 9:48panic.
  251. 9:49>> Yes. And that cushion is not just about
  252. 9:51money. It protects your brain. You think
  253. 9:54better when you're not in survival mode.
  254. 9:57>> That is so true. Also, many people grow
  255. 9:59up hearing save for a rainy day.
  256. 10:02>> Yes. And that phrase means save money
  257. 10:04for difficult times in the future
  258. 10:06because problems do not send a calendar
  259. 10:09invite.
  260. 10:10>> They really do not.
  261. 10:12>> And another useful idea here is live
  262. 10:14within your means. It sounds strict, but
  263. 10:17it's actually healthy. Yes. In normal
  264. 10:20human language, it means your lifestyle
  265. 10:22matches what you can actually afford,
  266. 10:25>> not what social media says you should
  267. 10:27afford.
  268. 10:28>> Exactly. Social media is like, "Here's
  269. 10:30my morning routine. Meanwhile, it costs
  270. 10:32more than your rent."
  271. 10:34>> Right. And then normal people feel
  272. 10:36behind for no reason.
  273. 10:38>> So saving for me is not about being
  274. 10:41boring. It's about peace. It's about not
  275. 10:44feeling scared every time something
  276. 10:45unexpected happens. Yes, saving can be
  277. 10:48peace of mind, not punishment.
  278. 10:50>> But okay, let me challenge the saving
  279. 10:52team a little now because some people
  280. 10:55save and save and save and forget to
  281. 10:57actually live.
  282. 10:58>> Yes, this is the part many people are
  283. 11:01scared to talk about.
  284. 11:02>> I think so because if we only save and
  285. 11:05never enjoy, life starts to feel like
  286. 11:08waiting, waiting for later, waiting for
  287. 11:10one day
  288. 11:11>> and later can keep moving. Yes, that is
  289. 11:15why we need to talk about balance.
  290. 11:17Enjoying life now does not mean we are
  291. 11:19irresponsible. Sometimes it means
  292. 11:22choosing rest, connection and
  293. 11:24experiences that make your life feel
  294. 11:26meaningful.
  295. 11:27>> Fair. And this is where the conversation
  296. 11:29gets more mature. Not all spending is
  297. 11:32equal.
  298. 11:32>> Yes, some spending is just noise, but
  299. 11:36some spending really adds value.
  300. 11:38>> That is where discretionary spending
  301. 11:41comes in. It means money you spend on
  302. 11:43non-essential things like hobbies,
  303. 11:45eating out, entertainment or travel.
  304. 11:48>> So not rent, not bills, not groceries.
  305. 11:52More like the choices you make after the
  306. 11:54basics are covered.
  307. 11:56>> H this is the money that feels more
  308. 11:58free. It's like your personal fun zone.
  309. 12:01>> And in your case, I think it is mostly
  310. 12:03the suspiciously frequent coffee zone.
  311. 12:07>> Hey, that is not waste. That is very
  312. 12:10serious coffee research.
  313. 12:12>> Sure, we believe you.
  314. 12:14>> But seriously, I think it's okay to
  315. 12:16splurge on something occasionally if it
  316. 12:18really matters to you.
  317. 12:20>> Yes, splurge on means spending more than
  318. 12:23usual on something you really want, like
  319. 12:25a special trip, a good meal, or a gift,
  320. 12:29>> right? I don't splurge often, but when I
  321. 12:31do, I prefer experiences. I still
  322. 12:34remember one short trip I almost
  323. 12:36cancelled because I wanted to be
  324. 12:38sensible. I went anyway and months later
  325. 12:41I was still talking about it.
  326. 12:43>> I love that because that's the part
  327. 12:44people forget. Some purchases disappear
  328. 12:47fast but some become memories.
  329. 12:50>> Exactly. And many people don't get into
  330. 12:52trouble because they choose one side.
  331. 12:54They get into trouble because they jump
  332. 12:56between two extremes.
  333. 12:58>> Yes. Let us talk about that. What do you
  334. 13:01mean by extremes? I mean weeks or months
  335. 13:04where people say from now on I will not
  336. 13:07spend anything extra. They are super
  337. 13:10strict.
  338. 13:10>> Yes. They stop going out, stop ordering
  339. 13:13food, stop buying small treats.
  340. 13:16Everything is no.
  341. 13:18>> Then after some time they feel tired and
  342. 13:20upset and suddenly they say you know
  343. 13:23what I deserve something and they spend
  344. 13:26a lot in one weekend.
  345. 13:28>> Yes, I think many people listening know
  346. 13:30this feeling. H this is a classic swing
  347. 13:33from one extreme to the other.
  348. 13:35>> First too much control then too much
  349. 13:38reaction.
  350. 13:39>> So it is not just a money problem. It's
  351. 13:41a pattern problem.
  352. 13:43>> And that is why we need a simple way to
  353. 13:46make better choices without going crazy
  354. 13:48and without feeling guilty every time.
  355. 13:51>> Exactly. So let us build a small easy
  356. 13:55framework for balance.
  357. 13:57>> Good. Let us make this practical for
  358. 14:00people.
  359. 14:01>> All right. Before a bigger purchase,
  360. 14:03first step is very simple. Pause.
  361. 14:06>> Yes, even a 5second pause can change a
  362. 14:10decision.
  363. 14:11>> And in that pause, ask yourself, what
  364. 14:13does this choice support in my life?
  365. 14:16What is the real reason I want this?
  366. 14:19>> That question alone can show you a lot.
  367. 14:22>> Then you can weigh the pros and cons. To
  368. 14:25weigh the pros and cons means to think
  369. 14:27about the good side and the bad side
  370. 14:29before you decide.
  371. 14:31>> Yeah. Good side. This will make my daily
  372. 14:34life easier. Bad side. This will make
  373. 14:37this month more stressful.
  374. 14:39>> And when you see both sides, you can
  375. 14:41choose more calmly.
  376. 14:43>> And here is another idea that helps.
  377. 14:45Opportunity cost.
  378. 14:47>> Opportunity cost means what you lose
  379. 14:50when you choose one thing instead of
  380. 14:52another thing. For example, if you spend
  381. 14:54a lot of money on random online shopping
  382. 14:56this month, the opportunity cost might
  383. 14:59be that you cannot go on a trip later or
  384. 15:01you cannot join a course you wanted.
  385. 15:04>> Yes. So the question becomes, what am I
  386. 15:07saying no to if I say yes to this?
  387. 15:11>> Exactly. It's not about feeling shame.
  388. 15:13It's about understanding the trade.
  389. 15:16>> So we can say do not let your mood make
  390. 15:20all the decisions. Give your brain a
  391. 15:22little time to think,
  392. 15:24>> right? Even a short pause now can save
  393. 15:27you from a long month of stress later.
  394. 15:29>> Okay, so let's test that in real life.
  395. 15:32Not in theory, but in the places where
  396. 15:35this debate really lives. Coffee,
  397. 15:38phones, clothes, travel, and all those
  398. 15:41tiny expenses that become big when they
  399. 15:44join together.
  400. 15:46>> Ah, yes. The tiny expenses that travel
  401. 15:49in groups. Exactly. Okay. Rapid fire
  402. 15:53round. Daily coffee from a cafe. Worth
  403. 15:56it or waste?
  404. 15:57>> Depends. I know that is annoying, but it
  405. 15:59depends. If it is your only joy and it
  406. 16:02fits your budget, fine. If it is five
  407. 16:05coffees a day plus random snacks plus
  408. 16:08delivery, now we need a meeting.
  409. 16:10>> Now we need a meeting is so good
  410. 16:12>> because one coffee is not the issue.
  411. 16:15Patterns are the issue,
  412. 16:17>> right? And patterns are where
  413. 16:19discretionary spending can quietly grow
  414. 16:21without us noticing.
  415. 16:23>> Especially when we are just comparing
  416. 16:26prices and somehow a package arrives 2
  417. 16:28days later.
  418. 16:30>> M this episode is turning into your
  419. 16:32confession.
  420. 16:33>> I am being honest so our listeners can
  421. 16:36learn from my mistakes.
  422. 16:38>> We thank you for your sacrifice. Okay,
  423. 16:41next one. Buying a better phone when
  424. 16:44your current phone still works. Fair
  425. 16:46question. I would ask, is it a tool
  426. 16:49upgrade or a mood upgrade?
  427. 16:52>> Ooh, that is good.
  428. 16:54>> If your phone affects your work, safety
  429. 16:56or productivity, maybe you can justify
  430. 16:58the expense. If you just feel bored and
  431. 17:01want a new identity, maybe wait a week.
  432. 17:04>> Yes, that one pause is powerful. It
  433. 17:08separates desire from impulse. Also, if
  434. 17:11after 7 days you still want it, at least
  435. 17:14the decision is less dramatic.
  436. 17:16>> True. Okay, next one. Travel.
  437. 17:19>> I am biased, but I think it can be worth
  438. 17:21a splurge if it is meaningful and
  439. 17:24planned,
  440. 17:25>> right? And I agree if it does not
  441. 17:27destroy your next 3 months financially.
  442. 17:30>> Fair. Memories should not become monthly
  443. 17:32suffering. [laughter]
  444. 17:34>> I like that. Please put that on a
  445. 17:36poster.
  446. 17:37>> I like it, too. And I also think
  447. 17:39spending on learning can be underrated.
  448. 17:42A course, coaching, or something that
  449. 17:44improves your skills can really change
  450. 17:46your future.
  451. 17:48>> Yes. And that's a great example of
  452. 17:49values-based spending. It may look
  453. 17:52expensive now, but the opportunity cost
  454. 17:54of not learning could be bigger later.
  455. 17:57>> So, yes, practical tools help, but
  456. 17:59there's one more important layer here,
  457. 18:02and it changes the whole debate. Not
  458. 18:04everybody is choosing between save for
  459. 18:07travel and buy the shoes.
  460. 18:09>> Yes, thank you for bringing that in. For
  461. 18:12some people, the conversation is not
  462. 18:14about lifestyle optimization. It is
  463. 18:16about survival,
  464. 18:17>> right? And when someone is trying to
  465. 18:19make ends meet, this debate feels
  466. 18:22completely different.
  467. 18:23>> Yes, make ends meet means having just
  468. 18:26enough money to cover basic living costs
  469. 18:29with very little extra. In that
  470. 18:31situation, enjoy life now may look like
  471. 18:34one small treat after a very hard week.
  472. 18:37And save money may mean putting aside a
  473. 18:40tiny amount and feeling proud of it.
  474. 18:42>> And that matters. A small saving is
  475. 18:45still progress. A small joy is still
  476. 18:48human.
  477. 18:49>> So this conversation should never become
  478. 18:51judgment. It should become awareness.
  479. 18:54>> Yes. awareness of your reality, your
  480. 18:57values, your patterns, and your
  481. 18:59priorities.
  482. 19:00>> Because the goal is not to copy someone
  483. 19:02else's money style. The goal is to build
  484. 19:05a life where your money choices support
  485. 19:07both stability and joy.
  486. 19:09>> Beautifully said. So maybe the answer to
  487. 19:12save money or enjoy life now is not one
  488. 19:16side winning. Maybe it is learning how
  489. 19:18to protect your future without
  490. 19:20abandoning your present. That is the
  491. 19:23kind of balance I can respect
  492. 19:25>> even as an honest spender.
  493. 19:27>> Especially as an honest spender.
  494. 19:30[laughter]
  495. 19:31>> Fair enough. And now that we have
  496. 19:33unpacked the ideas, the emotions, and
  497. 19:35the real life choices behind this
  498. 19:37debate, let us slow down and go into our
  499. 19:40word tour so you can use this language
  500. 19:42in your own conversations.
  501. 19:44>> Yes. Because you are not just listening
  502. 19:46to a money debate today. You are
  503. 19:48building the English to talk about
  504. 19:50tradeoffs, priorities, guilt, value, and
  505. 19:54peace of mind in a much more natural
  506. 19:56way.
  507. 19:57>> So, grab your tea, coffee, or your very
  508. 20:00carefully budgeted snack and let us do
  509. 20:02the word tour.
  510. 20:04>> We will go slowly. Listen, repeat and
  511. 20:06think about your own life while you
  512. 20:08learn these phrases. First phrase,
  513. 20:11impulse purchase. An impulse purchase is
  514. 20:14when you buy something suddenly without
  515. 20:16planning just because the feeling is
  516. 20:19strong in that moment.
  517. 20:20>> For example, I went to the mall to walk
  518. 20:23and my new shoes were an impulse
  519. 20:26purchase.
  520. 20:27>> Or I am trying to control my impulse
  521. 20:30purchases, especially late at night.
  522. 20:32>> You can repeat Impulse purchase.
  523. 20:35>> Impulse purchase.
  524. 20:37>> Take your time. Impulse purchase. Next
  525. 20:41phrase is delayed gratification.
  526. 20:44>> Delayed gratification means saying no to
  527. 20:47a small pleasure now so you can get a
  528. 20:50bigger or better result later.
  529. 20:52>> For example, saving money for a trip is
  530. 20:55a kind of delayed gratification.
  531. 20:57>> Or strong habits often need delayed
  532. 21:00gratification, not quick rewards.
  533. 21:03Repeat. Delayed gratification.
  534. 21:06>> Delayed gratification.
  535. 21:09>> Slowly. delayed gratification.
  536. 21:13Another useful phrase is justify an
  537. 21:16expense.
  538. 21:17>> To justify an expense means to give a
  539. 21:20reason why your spending was a good
  540. 21:22idea, often after you already spent the
  541. 21:25money.
  542. 21:25>> For example, he tried to justify the
  543. 21:28expense by saying the new phone was for
  544. 21:31work.
  545. 21:31>> Or I don't need to justify every
  546. 21:34expense, but I want to be honest with
  547. 21:36myself. You can repeat. Justify an
  548. 21:39expense.
  549. 21:40>> Justify an expense.
  550. 21:42>> Piece by piece. Justify
  551. 21:46an expense.
  552. 21:48>> Here is a safety phrase. Financial
  553. 21:50cushion.
  554. 21:51>> A financial cushion is extra money you
  555. 21:54keep aside, like a safety pillow, for
  556. 21:57emergencies or surprises.
  557. 21:59>> For example, having a financial cushion
  558. 22:01helped her stay calm when her car broke
  559. 22:04down. or even a small financial cushion
  560. 22:07can make your life feel less stressful.
  561. 22:09Repeat financial cushion.
  562. 22:12>> Financial cushion.
  563. 22:13>> Slowly. Financial cushion. Now a more
  564. 22:18technical one. Discretionary spending.
  565. 22:22>> Discretionary spending is money you
  566. 22:25spend on non-essential things like
  567. 22:27hobbies, eating out, entertainment, or
  568. 22:30travel. For example, most of my
  569. 22:33discretionary spending goes to movies
  570. 22:35and coffee.
  571. 22:37>> Or when money is tight, discretionary
  572. 22:39spending is the first place I check.
  573. 22:42>> You can repeat discretionary spending.
  574. 22:45>> Discretionary spending.
  575. 22:48>> Step by step. Discretionary
  576. 22:51spending.
  577. 22:52>> This next phrase can really change
  578. 22:55stress levels. Live within your means.
  579. 22:58To live within your means means your
  580. 23:00lifestyle matches your real income. You
  581. 23:04are not spending more than you earn.
  582. 23:06>> For example, she started to live within
  583. 23:09her means and finally felt less stress.
  584. 23:11>> Or living within your means does not
  585. 23:14mean no fun. It means smart choices.
  586. 23:17Repeat. Live within your means.
  587. 23:21>> Live within your means.
  588. 23:23>> Slowly. Live within your means. Now,
  589. 23:29something more fun. Splurge on.
  590. 23:32>> To splurge on something means to spend
  591. 23:34more than usual on a special thing you
  592. 23:37really want.
  593. 23:38>> For example, we decided to splurge on a
  594. 23:41nice dinner for our anniversary.
  595. 23:44>> Or, I do not splurge on clothes, but I
  596. 23:47like to splurge on travel.
  597. 23:48>> You can repeat. Splurge on. Splurge on
  598. 23:53>> slowly. Splurge on.
  599. 23:57>> Now, a good decision phrase. Weigh the
  600. 24:00pros and cons.
  601. 24:01>> To weigh the pros and cons means to
  602. 24:04think about the good side and the bad
  603. 24:07side before you decide.
  604. 24:09>> For example, before changing jobs, she
  605. 24:12weighed the pros and cons carefully.
  606. 24:14>> Or we should weigh the pros and cons
  607. 24:17before buying something expensive.
  608. 24:20Repeat. Weigh the pros and cons.
  609. 24:23>> Weigh the pros and cons.
  610. 24:26>> Take your time. Weigh the pros and cons.
  611. 24:31Another important idea is opportunity
  612. 24:34cost.
  613. 24:35>> Opportunity cost is what you lose or
  614. 24:38miss when you choose one thing instead
  615. 24:40of another.
  616. 24:41>> For example, if you spend all your money
  617. 24:44on small treats, the opportunity cost
  618. 24:47might be a future trip. Or the
  619. 24:50opportunity cost of saying yes to
  620. 24:52everything is often your time and
  621. 24:55energy.
  622. 24:56>> You can repeat opportunity cost.
  623. 24:59>> Opportunity cost
  624. 25:01>> slowly.
  625. 25:02Opportunity
  626. 25:04cost.
  627. 25:06>> And our last phrase for today, make ends
  628. 25:09meet.
  629. 25:10>> To make ends meet means to have just
  630. 25:12enough money to pay for your basic needs
  631. 25:15with very little extra. For example,
  632. 25:18when I first started working, it was
  633. 25:21hard to make ends meet.
  634. 25:23>> Or some families can make ends meet, but
  635. 25:26they cannot save much. Repeat, make ends
  636. 25:30meet.
  637. 25:31>> Make ends meet.
  638. 25:32>> Slowly, make ends meet. So, that was our
  639. 25:38word tour for today.
  640. 25:40>> M. You can always come back to this part
  641. 25:42and listen again until these phrases
  642. 25:44feel natural for you. And next time you
  643. 25:47think about saving or enjoying, try
  644. 25:50using some of this vocabulary in your
  645. 25:52own English.
  646. 25:53>> Right? And if this episode helped you,
  647. 25:56feel free to share it with a friend who
  648. 25:58also fights with money decisions.
  649. 26:00>> H take care of your money and your mind
  650. 26:03and we will see you in the next episode.
  651. 26:06>> This is Anna
  652. 26:08>> and this is Jake
  653. 26:09>> and you have been listening to the
  654. 26:11English Leap podcast. Bye.
  655. 26:15>> [music]
  656. 26:17>> Your progress doesn't end here. To
  657. 26:19continue advancing [music] your English
  658. 26:21skills, click on the next video or
  659. 26:23explore the additional videos we've
  660. 26:24thoughtfully [music] selected for you.

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