How to Talk About Personal Finance and Budgeting in English | Real English Conversation Practice

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⭐️ With The English Conversation Podcast, you’ll learn English the real way — through authentic podcast-style dialogues, natural conversations, and useful expressions used by native speakers every day.

Money talks... but it can be really awkward to talk about money in English! In this episode, Sarah and Daniel break down the real, everyday vocabulary native speakers use to discuss budgeting, financial stress, and spending habits.

🌟 What You’ll Learn:
👉 The reality of money stress: Alternatives to just saying "I'm poor," like living "paycheck to paycheck" or things being a little "tight" this month.
👉 Budgeting action verbs: How to talk about managing your money, like "sticking to a budget" or trying to "cut back on" expensive habits like daily coffee.
👉 Describing costs naturally: The best idiom for expensive things ("it costs an arm and a leg") and alternatives to "expensive" like "pricey" or "steep."
👉 The fun side of spending: When it's okay to "splurge" and "treat yourself."

⭐️ Real Money Talk: How to Discuss Your Budget & Spending in English Hello and welcome! Money is often a taboo topic. In many English-speaking cultures, it is very rude to ask someone how much salary they earn. However, it is very common to talk about the stress of money—complaining about bills, trying to save, or waiting for payday.

In this video, listen to a real, friendly conversation between your hosts, Sarah and Daniel. Daniel is feeling "broke" three days before payday, and they discuss the common struggle of trying to make ends meet. They move from the stress of having a "tight" budget to the practical steps of "cutting back" on spending, and finally to the joy of occasionally "splurging" on a reward.

This is the essential vocabulary you need for adult life in English—whether you are talking to friends about why you can't go out for dinner, or discussing the cost of living with colleagues.

Listen carefully and review the vocabulary list at the end!

Join Sarah and Daniel in a relaxed, informative conversation! Don’t forget to practice in the comments by answering our Question of the Day: “Are you naturally a Saver (you prefer keeping money safe for a rainy day) or a Spender (as soon as you get paid, you want to splurge)?”

💡 The English Conversation Podcast Method:
🔹 Learn English through immersive podcast-style listening
🔹 Shadow-and-repeat practice with authentic dialogues
🔹 Real-life topics for social, professional, and daily situations
🔹 Focus on natural spoken English instead of boring grammar drills
🔹 Practical tips to improve your listening, speaking, and confidence

🚀 Perfect For:
✅ Intermediate learners who live in English-speaking countries and need practical vocabulary for daily life
✅ Students who want to understand natural idioms related to money and cost
✅ Professionals who want to sound more natural when discussing the cost of living with colleagues
✅ Anyone who feels awkward talking about their budget in English
✅ Language lovers who want to improve their conversational fluency!

🎁 Bonus Vocabulary in This Episode:
🎯 To live paycheck to paycheck
🎯 Things are tight / Money is tight
🎯 To stick to a budget
🎯 To cut back on [something]
🎯 To splurge / To treat yourself
🎯 It costs an arm and a leg
🎯 A rainy day fund

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