IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 Topic: Describe something special that you saved money to buy

Topic: Describe something special that you saved money to buy

It was my mom’s fiftieth birthday that my sister and I managed to surprise her with our gift – an exclusive emerald green scarf tailor-made by the most renowned tailor in town.

Mom is the most warm-hearted and forgiving person I’ve ever known and should be given “Mom of the Year” award if there is one. However, since there isn’t, my sister and I decided to give her the best she deserved when she turned 50 – a truly milestone in one’s lifetime and it was her birthday after all. Therefore, we started saving money from our part-time jobs 4 months before D-day and met up with Joe – the talented tailor who was most well-known for his remarkable collection of beautifully handmade scarfs: from silk to wool with a variety of unique patterns. Our choice was the long and emerald one which was made in silk charmeuse, allowing it to show off saturated colors so well. The smooth texture felt like a soft touch on your skin and depending on how you tied it, you could emphasize on the shiny side or the matte. We chose it not only because of its elegance and affordability in comparison with others but also its usage. It matched perfectly with different kinds of clothes and was not too thick for daily use in a tropical country.

Our mom fell in love with the scarf at first sight because it was in her favorite color or simply just because we were her favorites in the whole world. She bragged about it to all her friends and family days after that and we didn’t mind, not even the slightest as there was nothing as precious as the smile that lit up her face.

Vocabulary

– exclusive: of a high quality and expensive and therefore not often bought or used by most people

– tailor-made: made for a particular person or purpose, and therefore very suitable

– renowned: famous and respected

– remarkable: unusual or surprising in a way that causes people to take notice

– elegance: the quality of being attractive and well designed

– affordability: the fact of being cheap enough that people can afford to buy it or pay it; how affordable something is

– brag: to talk too proudly about something you own or something you have done

 

QUESTIONS FOR PART 3

1. What can parents do to teach children to save money?

Children are quick learners and can be easily affected by others’ behaviors. Therefore, it’s both a simple and challenging task at the same time to teach them anything, including how to efficiently manage their budget. Since we all learn through imitating and replication, the most practical way is to set a good example and be open to conversation. For instance, parents shouldn’t overspend if they want their children how to save money. Occasional exception like Christmas can be accepted, but other than that, no. Parents can even talk to them about financial management and do not underestimate your kids since they may understand more than we believe they can.

2. Why do young people tend to waste money?

First of all, because they are young. Youngsters nowadays usually justify their financial issues with the YOLO philosophy which means “you only live once”. Since life is too short and aint nobody got time to waste, they tend to spend much more than they can earn, buying unnecessary things they barely afford to enjoy the best out of life. Secondly, that is not even their money, but their parents’. Therefore, they don’t value the effort behind those bills and keep throwing them out of the window as long as it suits them.

3. What kinds of things do people like to buy in your country?

I can’t tell for sure what the overall consumer behavior is like, but one thing everyone can notice is that just like most of other nationalities people is obsessed with high-tech devices, especially smartphones and tablets. The sales volume of such digital gadgets has significantly increased over the past few years, together with the proliferations of mobile stores. From my experience and observation, Apple’s products are in high demand among the middle-class, which can be proven by the moment you step into any coffee shops in Madrid City where iPhones and MacBooks are of various types and colors.

4. Do schools teach anything about financial management?

Unfortunately, I have to say no, or at least it is what I know. Only after students attend university, are they going to be introduced to finance and anything related. That is if they go to schools of economics, other than, I can’t guarantee, which is actually a sad truth. Since financial management is so important in how youngsters will shape their mind and prepare for the future, such subject should be taught at high schools as one of the most essential skills that allow students to deal with any issue related to money at the early age.

5. What is it necessary to teach teenagers to manage money?

There are many topics to cover when it comes to financial management, I suppose.  However, for students, I believe teaching them about the labor value, financial stability and independence is more crucial. Teenagers maybe a little young to understand how hard their parents have to work to afford the whole family but it would help if we let them do some voluntary or part-time jobs for them to have a closer look of where money comes from. From there, they would learn how not to overspend and take any amount of money for granted.

6. How do parents give pocket money in your country?

Frankly speaking, it heavily depends on each family and their lifestyles. Some parents grant their children a specific amount of allowance daily or weekly which they can spend on snacks or necessary learning materials and stationery when needed. Others may not give at all since their kids already are fully provided with lunch boxes and everything else.