Living with debt
5/28/20267 min
Many people have to borrow money to make big purchases, like buying a house or a car. When you do this, you have to pay the money back over time – the money you owe is a debt. With the current cost of living getting increasingly high, some people are having to borrow money even for everyday purchases like bills and food. Sometimes this debt can get out of control, which causes anxiety and stress. Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.
Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english\_2026/ep-260528
Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news\_2026
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPippa· Host0:00
Got another six minutes? We have lots more to help you with your English. Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations, or learn some English from the biggest news stories from around the world. Search BBC Learning English in your podcast app to find our other programs, or find much more at bbclearningenglish.com.
Speaker 20:21
[upbeat music] Six Minute English.
Speaker 30:24
From bbclearningenglish.com.
Neil· Host0:27
Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
Pippa· Host0:34
And I'm Pippa. Are you good at saving money, Neil, or do you like to spend it?
Neil· Host0:39
Well, actually, a bit of both. I, I like to spend money on nice things, but I also try to save, mainly because I've got children. How about you?
Pippa· Host0:50
Yeah, I'm the same. I like to save money, or I try to, for the future. Uh, but I also do spend it. I don't count every penny that I spend and save every single penny that I earn.
Neil· Host1:03
Hmm. Well, whether you're a saver or a spender, being in debt is common in the UK. Debt refers to money a person has borrowed to buy something and which they have to pay back, usually to a bank, a credit card company, or another person.
Pippa· Host1:20
Many people avoid talking about debt, but it affects us all. In twenty twenty-five, over one thousand people contacted the UK Citizens Advice