Creating a Budget to Save Money
So, we've looked at three apartment. I like the one close to Pete's school. That apartment is very spacious and clean. Also, I can [vocab word=save]save[/vocab] a lot of time [vocab word=drop off]dropping him off[/vocab] and picking him up.
"one" refers to one of the apartments. "I like the one close to Pete's school." = "I like the apartment close to Pete's school."
I like that one, too, but it will cost us an extra $500 per month.
If we are careful with our [vocab word=spending]spending[/vocab], we will be able to [vocab word=afford]afford[/vocab] it.
This sentence is a first conditional sentence. The subordinate clause ("If we are careful with our spending") is in present tense and the main clause ("we will be able to afford it") is in simple future.
You think so? Let's [vocab word=calculate]calculate[/vocab] our [vocab word=monthly]monthly[/vocab] expenses, then. If we reduce [vocab word=unnecessary]unnecessary[/vocab] expenses, we might be able to come up with the extra money each month.
First conditional involves likely or realistic future scenarios. Usually, we use "will" in the main clause, but we can also use "might", "may", etc. if the main clause is likely or probable. ("come up with the extra money" is likely if we reduce expenses)
Right now, we eat out every week. Let's say each meal costs us 100 dollars. If we eat at home once a month, we'll save 100 dollars per month.
"If we eat at home once a month, we'll save 100 dollars per month." is a first conditional. Saving 100 dollars per month is realistic and likely if we eat out less often.
I'm okay with not eating out once a month. If we cancel our gym [vocab word=membership]memberships[/vocab] and work out at home instead, we'll save an additional 80 bucks a month.
But, we'll have to spend more money to buy [vocab word=workout]workout[/vocab] equipment. Besides, you need the workout.
"Besides" means "In addition to" or "Also".
Note, "work out" is a phrasal verb and it means to exercise. "workout" (1 word) is a noun and it means the physical exercise.
Well, sorry for being fat!
Marco is being sarcastic. He is not really sorry.
If we start riding buses to work instead of driving to work, we'll save 200 dollars a month on [vocab word=fuel]fuel[/vocab] costs.
"Instead of doing something" means you'll not do something, but do something else. Lily wants to ride buses to work, not drive to work.
I don't know. Bus tickets will cost us an extra $180 to $200 per month, so I'd say we'll [vocab word=barely]barely[/vocab] [vocab word=break even]break even[/vocab].
"I don't know" is a polite, soft way of disagreeing with someone. "Break even" means you don't lose or gain money.
Right. Forget about buses, then. So far, we have 100 dollars a month in savings.
Do we need to buy all those toys and games for Pete? Let him go outside and play.
Agreed. If we buy one less toy for Pete per month on average, we'll save 30 dollars.
Good. That's 130 bucks per month of savings. I'll pack lunch to work. Each outside meal costs 10 dollars. If we [vocab word=multiply]multiply[/vocab] that by 20 days, we'll save an additional 200 bucks per month.
"Multiply 10 by 20" means 10 x 20.
I'll make you delicious lunch if you are willing to make the [vocab word=sacrifice]sacrifice[/vocab].
This sentence is a first conditional. The main clause ("I'll ...) is written first and the subordinate clause ("if you are ...") is written after it.
Also note, to "make the sacrifice" means you endure something or not have something for another person's benefit.
Of course. We now have 330 dollars in savings. Let's take a look at our [vocab word=entertainment]entertainment[/vocab] [vocab word=budget]budget[/vocab]. We spend [vocab word=approximately]approximately[/vocab] 200 bucks every month on sports and movies. Can we reduce that by 50 dollars?
I believe we can. If we go out less and have more game nights or movie nights at home, we can save some money.
Remember that first conditional has the structure of: Real present situation ("If we go out less and have more game nights or movie nights at home") + Likely future possibility ("we can save some money").
That brings our total savings to 380 dollars per month.
We're 120 dollars short. Are we [vocab word=subscribe]subscribing[/vocab] to anything useless?
... Yes, I haven't watched anything on Paragon Prime for ages. If we cancel that [vocab word=subscription]subscription[/vocab], we'll save another 20 bucks.
"for ages" means "for a long time".
Are you using your [vocab word=data]data[/vocab] on your phone? If you change your phone plan to a basic one like my plan, you can save 30 dollars a month.
That's fine. We have 430 dollars in savings so far. How about cancelling the TV service?
"How about ..." is a good way to suggest an idea.
We won't be able to watch the TV, then.
We are not watching much TV anyways, and Pete only watches YouTube. It's quite [vocab word=frankly]frankly[/vocab] a waste of money.
Okay, that's 70 dollars, so we now have our 500 dollars in savings. If we implement all these saving [vocab word=measure]measures[/vocab], we will be able to afford the bigger apartment!
Yup. If we make these changes, we might even be able to save a bit more for [vocab word=emergency]emergencies[/vocab].
We CAN do this. If there's a will, there's a way. Let's start saving money from next week.
"If there is a will, there is a way" is a common idiom. It means if a person truly wants to do something, they will find a way to do it despite obstacles or challenges.
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