elllo
Views #1307 | Intermediate (B2)

Money Matters

Sorie and Mark talk about money and how much they worry about their future.

Mark: Hi, Sorie. Talking about money, do you worry about money?

Sorie: Yes, I do. I especially worry about the future, about my retirement plan. And I’m not saving any money at the moment. And I have friends around me that are already saving up for their retirement. I’m 27 years old right now and I’m not sure if I should be concerned or not. Are you concerned?

Mark: Well, what kind of options are there? How would you want to save up?

Sorie: Well, first of all, right now, I don’t have the option to save for retirement.

Mark: Because you don’t have any money?

Sorie: Yeah, the present is plenty to think of. I haven’t got my head around the future yet. Do you have any recommendations at how I could do it?

Mark: Well, national pension plan or kind of put a little bit aside every week or forget about it. You’re only 27.

Sorie: Yeah. It’s very interesting, you know, because I know some people that instead of having a retirement plan, they decided to have a lot of kids and have their kids pay for them when they grow up and they get older. So that may be an option for me.

Mark: Yeah. And from where from also, that’s kind of the norm perhaps.

Sorie: Yeah, that’s right. How about you?

Mark: Yeah, I’m a bit older than you and I don’t have a pension plan either. But I’m not quite so worried about it right now.

Sorie: The time will come though.

Mark: The time will come and the more I think about, the more we talk about it, it’s definitely something to be considering. But it’s interesting in national pension plan, isn’t it because what if we leave? What if we won’t live in this country anymore, we had to move to another country and then we work there a little bit. And then we move to another country.

Sorie: So as an international person, it’s difficult to commit to a national pension because you don’t know where you’re going to end up, right?

Mark: Exactly.

Sorie: That’s what you’re saying, I see.

Mark: So if that was the case, it would seem that putting a little bit away every month or every week personally in an account would be a good idea.

Sorie: And are you committed, like, can you do that every month? Can you?

Mark: Yeah, I think I can do that. Yeah, but it’s interesting that I haven’t considered such things. And now when we consider it and realize how important it is, it’s probably a good thing to be considering.

Answer these questions about the interview.
Audio Lessons about Phrases and Vocabulary

retirement

image

I worry about my retirement.

Retirement is the time when people stop working, usually because of old age. Notice the following:

  1. The retirement age is 70 in most countries.
  2. I have big plans for my retirement. I plan to sell my house and travel the world.

option

image

What kind of options are there?

An option is a choice. Notice the following:

  1. With your dinner you have two options: soup or salad.
  2. Quitting school is not a wise option.

 

get my head around

image

I haven’t got my head around the future yet

When you get your head around something, you discover what to do. Notice the following:

  1. I can't get my head around this problem.
  2. I still haven't got my head around what to do.

pension plan

image

I have a national pension plan.

A pension plan is a savings plans that companies or governments create for workers or citizens. Notice the following:

  1. These days many companies do not have pension plans.
  2. The 401K is a popular pension plan.

put a little aside

image

I try to put a little aside.

When you put something aside, you save it for later. Notice the following:

  1. I try to put a little money aside each week.
  2. My mother mother is always telling me to put some money aside for a rainy day.

the time will come

image

The time will come when I need the money.

The phrase the time will come refers to the future. Notice the following:

  1. A time will come when you want to get married.
  2. If you neglect your health, the time will come when you regret it.

Vocabulary Quiz

retirement • option • head around
pension • aside • time will come
  1. A when you regret your actions.
  2. I can't get my this problem.
  3. He has a full from his company.
  4. He is not looking forward to .
  5. I try to put some money each week.
  6. What do I have? I must do this.

Related Lessons

1308 Money Worries
#1308 Money Worries
Saving for the future.
Speakers
Video 1308
Do you worry about money?
Speakers
Video 1307
Do you want a big or small family?

Other Lessons

1310 Homegrown Foreigner
#1310 Homegrown Foreigner
Feeling strange at home.
1309 Going Home
#1309 Going Home
Having two home countries.
1307 Retirement
#1307 Retirement
Options for retirement.
1306 Surviving the Wild
#1306 Surviving the Wild
Going into the wilderness.

 

Courses for Students and Teachers

One Minute English Videos

Views English Lessons

Mixer English Lessons

Learn Academic English with News Stories

About the Teacher / Creator

Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
Contact Me Here