finance

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Archive Language Point 120



Finance vocabulary





People who work in finance



a teller / a bank teller / a cashier:

a person who works behind the counter in a bank and who deals with customers

You have to queue up and then go to ask the teller if you want to withdraw a big amount of cash.

a manager / a bank manager:

a person who manages the staff in a bank and who interviews customers when they want a special service (for example, a loan or overdraft)

Tim went to see the bank manager because he wanted a business loan.

a financial adviser:

a person who gives you advice about how to invest your money or on the best ways to save money

His grandmother gave him £1000 so he went to see a financial adviser to hear her recommendations about what to do with it.



Banking products and services



a savings account:

an account in a bank which earns interest for customers who save with the bank

I've had a savings account since I was 16.

a joint account:

a bank account that more than one person share together

We have a joint account for the household bills but we have separate savings accounts.

a credit card:

plastic (uncountable, informal):

a small plastic card which can be used to buy goods and service. The money is taken from you at a later time when the credit card company sends you a bill

I don't know how I'd survive without my credit card. I always have to put a few things on plastic in the week before pay-day.

ATM / cashpoint:

(short for automatic teller machine). A machine that lets you withdraw money from your bank account. ATMs are usually in banks, as well as in other places, and are open 24 hours a day

I'll just go to the ATM and get some money and then I'll meet you at the restaurant.

She got some money out of the cashpoint to pay for lunch.

PIN:

(short for personal identity number) a secret number which you can use with your credit card or bank account card to take money from an ATM

The police officer told me that using 1234 as my PIN was stupid because it's the first number a thief would try if my cards got stolen.

Finance verbs and adjectives:



borrow:

get something (here, money) from someone which must be repaid at a later time

I had to borrow a lot of money when I bought a new car last year.

lend:

give money which must be repaid at a later time

The bank lent him £10,000 so he could improve his kitchen.

save:

keep money rather than spending it

She always saves at least 10% of her salary. She says she's saving it for when she is older.

invest:

put money into something to make a profit

She invested in personal computers in the early 80s and is very rich now.

withdraw:

take money out of an account

I need to go to the bank at lunchtime and withdraw some cash to pay for my holiday.

overdrawn (adj):

having taken more money out of your bank account than the account actually has (usually you have to agree this arrangement with the bank before you take the money out)

He's always overdrawn by the end of the month. He never saves anything.

Vocabulary



reliable

dependable, if a person is reliable you can believe they will do the things they promise to do

proposal

plan or idea

I'll get back to you

I will contact you

balance

the amount of money you have in a bank account, or the amount you owe on a credit card bill