UK Culture – Student money

Page 1 of 3

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

Introduction
This support pack accompanies the audio file 'Student money'. To listen to the audio file, go to:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/uk-culture/student-money

This support pack contains the following materials:

• a pre-listening vocabulary activity

• the transcript of the audio file

• a comprehension activity

Before you listen

Activity 01
Use the words and phrases in the table to complete the sentences below.

a. a strain on the pocket

b. afford

c. Boxing Day

d. cost of living

e. encounter

f. impulse buy

g. loot

h. on a tight budget

i. Student Union

j. Tips

k. Trendy

1. If you ......................... something or someone, you discover it/them unexpectedly

2. ......................... are useful pieces of information

3. The ......................... is the amount of money someone needs to live on

4. If you can ......................... something you have enough money to pay for it

5. If something is more than you can usually afford we say this is .......................... .

6. The ......................... is a place on campus that hosts student services such as a canteen, bar,

lounge, health facilities etc.

7. If you don't have much available income to spend we say that you are .......................... .

8. ......................... means fashionable or up with the latest ideas.

9. ......................... is the day after Christmas day. In the UK most shops have a sale which begins on

this day.

10. If you ......................... something, you steal or obtain it illegally.

11. An ......................... is one in which you have a sudden desire to buy something that you see in a

shop.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to Trend UK, your shortcut
to popular culture from the British Council. In the
next few minutes we’re going to be talking about
mates and money. Moving away from home to
go to university can be a stressful time. First,
there are all the social pressures that can be
encountered. And then there’s the strain on your

pocket, what with living expenses, books and
going out with your friends. And on top of all
that, you’ve got to study as well. So, is there a
way to be careful with your money and have a
good and productive time? Our reporter Mark
went to meet the students at a large UK
university to find out.

UK Culture – Student money

Page 2 of 3

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

Looking around the Student Union at this
university, everyone seems to be having a good
time but the reality is that students are often on
a tight budget and going out with your friends for
a meal or a drink is often something that has to
be thought about quite carefully. I’ve assembled
a group of typical students here who are going
to tell us what it’s like to have so many social
opportunities and yet be on a budget. And
hopefully they can give us the tips for having the
best and cheapest of times.

How do you find the cost of living here?

Very expensive.

Everything including clothing accommodation,
travelling, everything is expensive here.

In terms of: housing…transport especially.

So what do you think you spend most on?

Transport I think. Yeah, food if you eat at home,
it’s very cheap. The train. In a week was
spending more than one hundred pounds.

And how do you afford clothing? I mean ‘trendy’
isn’t cheap.

I’m from China, and actually in my place there’s
also nice clothes there, so I normally bring my
clothes here! He he-he.

So you don’t shop here? You shop at home.

Yeah all that from home. Except jackets, I love
jackets so I make sure if there’s any sale going
around, especially Boxing Day I go and loot the
shopping centre and buy all the stuff and get
cheap prices.

And what’s the social side like?

I love it because has so many cultures, I was so
shocked actually it took me quite some time.
Because it’s Chinese, Japanese, African people.
I like that, to me it’s very interesting.

I like to go for movies with my friends once a
month like that, and also for dinner.

I’m a very social person, I love socialising with
people and meeting new people and I love
partying. Thankfully I don’t drink and I don’t
smoke so only expenses like, you know, maybe
entry fee to the disco clubs and something like
that.

And do you have any money saving tips for
other people who might want to come and work
or study here in the UK?

You just have to watch anything you buy, just
don’t impulse buy things.

If you rent a house, with your friends then it will
be cheaper.

I teach a lot, I teach piano and the violin, so that
covers a little bit of what I want to spend on
clothes and stuff and extras yeah.

I bought DVD player can watch all the movies at
home ha-ha! So I can entertain myself at home.
Cheaper ha-ha.

Don’t drink too much ha-ha.

Well, plenty of good advice here from the
students. Thanks to all of you for coming along.

Our reporter Mark with the students there. And
that’s it for this time.

Please remember that the opinions expressed in
Trend UK are those of the individuals
concerned, and not necessarily the views of the
British Council. Don’t forget, you can find out
about studying in the UK by checking our
website www.britishcouncil.org, that’s
www.britishcouncil [all one word] .org. Just
follow the links under ‘Learning’. And while
you’re on the website you can also update your
English by checking out the words and phrases
in the Trend UK online glossary. And tell us
what you think by sending us a comment or
voting in the online poll. But for now, from me
and all the Trend UK Team, bye bye.

UK Culture – Student money

Page 3 of 3

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

After listening

Activity 02
Put the experiences and tips about student money in the order you hear them.

1. Even though you go out a lot, you can save money by not buying alcohol or tobacco
2. If you study away from home, you have to pay for accommodation, study materials and

entertainment

3. It is possible to spend most of your money getting to and from university
4. London is great because of the diversity of people you can meet
5. Try not to buy things suddenly without thinking
6. You can earn extra money by giving lessons
7. You can save money by buying clothes from your home country
8. You can watch films at home instead of going to the cinema
































Answers

Activity 01
1. e; 2. j; 3. d; 4. b; 5. a; 6. i; 7. h; 8. k; 9. c; 10. g; 11. f

Activity 02
2.; 3.; 7.; 4.; 1.; 5.; 6.; 8.