Tag: finance

The Money Talk for Couples

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If you want to strengthen your relationship, you have to talk about everything and that of course, includes your finances. Financial disagreements could sometimes unfortunately lead to break-up so understanding how your partner handles their money is a great way to prevent it from happening.

Watch this video to know the importance of managing your finances well as a couple.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can couples achieve good financial management?
  2. How can disagreements with your significant other because of money matters be prevented?
  3. Agree or disagree: Not taking on money management roles in a relationship is like forgetting a foreign language. You’ll end up losing some of your ability.
  4. How do you measure financial success?
  5. What’s the one thing you wish your parents would have done differently financially?

Share Buying Mistakes

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to stock market experts, more and more traders commit mistakes in buying shares in the wrong company. This could be a result of the recent trading controversy involving GameStop. This frenzy highlighted the mix-up traders can commit when buying shares.

Read this article on the growing incidence of share buying mistakes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56020950

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain “ticker tape confusion”.
  2. What mistakes have traders been making in buying shares?
  3. What are the reasons for such trading mistakes? How can said share buying mistakes be prevented?
  4. What are your thoughts on the fact that mistakes are not only committed by novice and private investors but even by retail and institutional ones?
  5. Have you ever invested? Talk about what you know about investing.

Emotional Spending

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With the crazy times we’re living, each and everyone of us tries to find our own source of happiness. Some have found it in online shopping or online spending. 

Since the pandemic started, many have been struggling with the dilemma: “Should I give in to such frivolous purchases or not?” “Would this bring joy to my life?”

Read this article on to how to recognize the problem of emotional spending and how to take control of your finances again.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/09/i-thought-buying-things-would-make-me-feel-better-it-didnt-the-rise-of-emotional-spending

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are reasons that led people to an online spending frenzy?
  2. What is an investigative shopper? Are you one?
  3. Have you ever been guilty of emotional spending? How has it been beneficial for you and how has it been disadvantageous?
  4. How has your online spending habits changed during the pandemic?
  5. What can one do to avoid emotional spending?

How Eating Out Keeps You Poor

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A lot of people are struggling with money because of different reasons; they may have student loans, health insurance, cost of housing, and many more. These are the costs that are already fixed but there is a way to lessen our expenses by cost-cutting on our luxurious habits like eating out in restaurants or drinking in bars. Although these are our ways to unwind from our busy day from work, we can also wind up with less money.

Let’s watch the video below to learn how eating out keeps you poor.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you bring brown-bagged lunches at work or eat out?
  2. How often do you eat out? How much do you usually spend?
  3. What are the pros and cons of eating in a restaurant?
  4. According to the video, what are the strategies to lessen eating out?
  5. How do you lessen your expenses or save more money?

Problem of Abolishing Coins

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The concept of currency has changed in all countries in the world over time. It has changed from barter system to coins, paper, and now, digital payment system. Since coins are often lost or discarded by customers, do you think it is time to eliminate them?

Let’s read the article on the problem with taking coins out of circulation.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201012-the-problem-with-abolishing-coins

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about coins? What problems associated with coins and eliminating them were mentioned in the article?
  2. Do you still use coins in paying? Is it convenient or the opposite for you?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using coins?
  4. Do you think coins practically have no value anymore? What would happen if these were abolished?
  5. What forms of monetary payment do you use these days?
  6. Talk about the history of money in your country (from barter to bank notes to credit cards to online or mobile payments etc.)

Is Renting a Good Idea?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Although owning a home is a basic life goal of most people, renting has become a choice for a lot of people nowadays. Renting a home can be an ideal option for those wanting extra flexibility and less responsibility. For some people, renting might make more sense for their financial circumstances. But is it really better to rent?

Watch the video below to see the two sides to renting.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you renting? / Have you ever rented a house/flat?
  2. What are your thoughts about renting versus owning/buying?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of renting?
  4. Is it more common for people in your country to rent or buy a house? Why do you think that is?
  5. Talk about your experience renting.

Cars Make You Poor

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cars have become a necessity. For most people, buying a car is one of the most expensive purchases they will ever make in their lives. While buying a new car makes you feel like you are granting yourself new freedom, a new car is more likely to take it away along with security.

Watch this video to find out why cars are not exactly an investment.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a car? What do you think about buying a car?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a car?
  3. Do you agree with what it says in the video that cars are bad investment? Why or why not?
  4. Do you prefer driving your own car or riding public transportation?
  5. What are some examples of things that are good and bad investments?

Pandemic Changed the Way Americans Spend Money

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on every aspect of everyone’s life. A survey found the consequences of the pandemic on Americans’ personal finances.

Read the article and find out some of the key findings of this survey.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/28/success/pandemic-spending-saving-changes-feseries/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think the pandemic impacted Spanish people’s finances in terms of their income, stimulus saving, homebuying, buying insurance, investing, and post-pandemic plans?
  2. How has the pandemic changed your financial behavior?
  3. How can one make up income loss?
  4. What is the best way to spend one’s stimulus check?
  5. What do you think will happen to how Spanish think about homebuying, travel insurance, and investing?
  6. What are some of your post-pandemic financial plans?

How Would You Like to Pay?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are a lot of different options to pay for the things we need now. One must wonder which really is the best way.

Listen to the audio to figure out which method best suits your circumstances.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-160211

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the easiest way to pay? Which one do you prefer most?
  2. What are the risks of using debit cards or credit cards in shopping?
  3. What are your thoughts on mobile phones, contactless cards, and fingerprinting as payment methods?
  4. Are credit/debit card frauds common in your country? Have you or anyone you know ever been a victim of credit/debit card fraud? Share your story.
  5. Do you agree or disagree that the days of paying by cash is nearly history?

Forever 21’s Downfall and Bankruptcy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Forever 21 made billions in revenue and was one of the fastest-growing fashion empires. Now, the owners have filed for bankruptcy after struggling to keep up with the rise of e-commerce. As one of the largest occupants of American shopping centers, a massive shutdown of Forever 21’s stores could aggravate the ongoing retail apocalypse.

Watch the video about how Forever 21’s success and downfall.

Discussion Questions:

1. In your opinion, where did Forever 21 go wrong?

2. What can filing for bankruptcy do to a company? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

3. In your opinion, what can the retailers do to save Forever 21?

4. What can Forever 21’s bankruptcy mean for the future of fast fashion?

5. Talk about some of the most popular fashion companies in your country?