20100122 Credit Cards (1)

Credit Cards

How will you be paying today?

Credit cards allow consumers to "buy now, pay later." But that convenience can sometimes cause people to spend beyond their means. Sean, a university, is asking his classmate Dave for advice about getting one.

Conversation A

Sean: I've been thinking about getting a credit card.

Dave: What do you plan to use it for?

Sean: Well, tuition for next semester is due in a couple of weeks.

Dave: Wow…that's a lot to charge!

Will you be able to pay off the balance at the end of the month?

Sean: Do I have to? If I use a credit card, I can just make the minimum payment each month unitl I pay it off.

Dave: You can, but the problem with that is you'll get charged a sky-high interest rate. Why don't you just apply for a student loan?

Sean: I could do that. But I also want to use a credit card when I go with my family to Hawaii next moth. It's safer than carrying a lot of cash.

Dave: That's true.

Sean: And don't forget about reward points. Some cads allow you to earn points that can eventually be redeemed for a free flight. I could use that for a graduation trip!


(live) beyond one's means 入不敷出
live within one's means 收支可以平衡
=> spend more money than one actually have
=> here "means" means "money"
=> means為複數型名詞，指一個人的財力或收入
eg: David has four kids, and they've all been living beyond their means for a long time.

tuition n. 學費
=> the fee/cost of attending at school
=> usually the tuition would apply to private school

balance n. 帳戶中的餘額/結餘
eg: The balance of my checking account is $350.
eg: After we paid all the bills, our bank balance wasn't very large.

student loan 學生貸款

re- 回來
redeem v. 兌換/贖回
=> exchange/trade
eg: This coupon can be redeemed in major supermarkets.
eg: Brenda redeemed her mileage and flew to Japan for vacation.


//== Library ==//

charge

the total charge 全部的費用

free of charge 免費

Will that be cash or charge?
=> 你要付現還是用信用卡?
=> 如果你要使用信用卡付費，則說charge
=> 如果你要使用現金付費，則說cash