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Text: How to shop sensibly. Idioms connected with shopping
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Text: How to shop sensibly
Shopping is a normal pass time that we will all have done and can enjoy, here are a few things to know about shopping:
1. Take a friend. It's easier to make a decision on something when someone else is giving their opinion too. Bring along a friend or family member whom you trust; not only for their opinion, but to keep yourself safe. Besides, it's more fun shopping with a friend than alone.
2. Set a budget for yourself. It's hard, but it’s always better to set a budget and stick to it. It's better in the long run. If you have trouble doing this, leave your credit card at home and only bring cash. Bring an amount of cash that you're comfortable spending – if your spending limit is $50, bring $50 to spend! This ensures that you won't blow your money in one day.
3. Make a list of things you specifically need or want. This will prevent you from overspending or wasting time. Before you hit the stores, go on-line and look at the websites of your favourite stores. Find items that you like there, then write them down and find them in the store.
4. Go into stores. You should consider trying different stores (like boutiques). You never know what you'll find in that little unknown store. Maybe some new clothes or something you'd like to improve your style with. Just because " everyone" doesn't shop there doesn't mean it's a bad store; it might become one of your favorites! Thrift shops also have some surprises in them, if you really take the time to look around.
5. Find the stuff you like. Be careful before you buy them, though. 6. Check out the material. If you're buying something that you don't try on, like socks, always touch them before buying. Stick your hand in it, and see if it's itchy, or just right. Maybe there's a stain? Ask for another one that looks in better condition. Or perhaps it looks flimsy, or as if it will fall apart within months? It's better not to consider it. If you are allergic to some materials, read the label to see what it is made of beforehand.
7. Try the things you like on. Make sure the things that you're buying fit you properly. You should feel comfortable and yourself in your clothes. Try on many sizes before making a decision.
8. Check yourself out in the mirror. If the store has a three way mirror, it's always best to stand in it before purchasing. The jeans you're trying on could look great from the front, but saggy in the back.
9. Never be afraid to ask a faculty member for help. Love the shirt, but can't find your size? It's their job to help you, so don't be shy about asking the salespeople.
10. Don't buy something if you're not totally sure about it. Only buy something if you really love it and are willing to wear it. It's helpful to try to think of at least two things that you can wear it with too, just so that you know you'll have something to wear it with. If you aren't sure about that top, don't buy it. It's better to leave it rather than buy and regret it.
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Exercise 1: Give the Russian equivalents for the words and word expressions below:
To spend, overspending, to set a budget, to try on, thrift shop, stuff, to fit, to feel comfortable, to make a decision, (three way) mirror, purchasing, salespeople, to wear, from the front, from the back.
Exercise 2: Translate the following quotations and comment upon them:
Cato the Elder: “Do not buy what you want, but what you need; what you do not need is dear at a farthing”.
Stephen Butler Leacock: “ Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it”.
Idioms connected with shopping
To buy lemon – to buy something that turns out to be useless: I suggest that you take a closer look at the bike before you buy it. You don’t want to buy a lemon, do you?
To buy a pig in a poke – to buy something without taking a look at it: I told you to look inside the box before buying this camera. You bought a pig in a poke again!
To pay over the odds; to pay through the nose – to pay too much for something: You paid over the odds for that blouse. The fabric is rather of poor quality.
For a song – to buy something at a very low price: This dress is very beautiful. It’s hard to believe that you bought it for a song.
To go window-shopping – to look at goods in store windows, with no aim of buying anything: I never go window-shopping, because when I see something really beautiful I always regret not having enough money to buy it.
To shop around for something – to look for something in different shops to compare the products and their prices in order to choose the best offer: Before you buy something expensive that you are going to use for years, it is reasonable to shop around first and choose the best product.
To shoplift – to steal something from a shop: Since there is a monitoring system in almost every shop, teenagers are caught shoplifting more often than before.
To shop till you drop – to go shopping for a very long time: She shopped till she dropped yesterday again. I’m wondering if she is already a shopaholic.
A retail therapy – going shopping in order to feel better, to be in a better mood: I bought a new pair of jeans, three blouses and a nice dress yesterday. Such a retail therapy was something that I really needed after the long, exhausting day.
To own brand – when a company makes and sells its own products: Marks and Spencers only sell own brand goods.
To pay over the odds – to pay too much for something: She definitely paid over the odds for that dress.
Exercise 3: Dramatize the situation " At a Shop":
Student A: You want to buy some clothes but you can't decide what to buy. Ask the assistant for help, try on the clothes. Explain why you don't want them.
Student B: You are the shop assistant. You serve the customer and suggest what to buy. Discuss prices, sizes, colours. Try to persuade the customer to buy something and make a sale.
For student A: For student B:
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Can you wait on me? Can I help you?
Can I get... here? Are you being served?
I'm looking for... What size... do you take?
What colours have you got it in? This one is on sale.
Have you got it in red? It's only...
Would you measure me, please? You won't find a better bargain in town.
Have you got this in size... ? I'm afraid we are out of them at the moment.
It doesn't fit. We are expecting more in, maybe next week.
It's too tight / loose. Any particular colour?
Could I have the next size up / down? Would you like to try it on?
Can I try it on? Does it fit?
I don't like it. Would you like to try a bigger / smaller size?
Can I see something else? This one comes in grey, brown and blue.
No, thanks. I'll leave it.
I'll take / have it.
Thank you for your help.
Exercise 4: Give a talk on the subject " How to shop sensibly". Include the following points – which shop to check out / what to wear / what bag to take. Make use of the following words and phrases:
to be a devoted shopper to afford
to be a spendthrift t/a big spender to be extravagant
to spend / waste money on to cost the earth
Give your advice. Use the following structures:
I advise youto... Have you thought of...
(I think) you'd better / should... It might be a good idea to...
Why don't you... I wouldn't advise you to...
You'd better not...
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