與其下館子或叫外賣，不少人更愿意自己下廚，他們認為做飯這件事既有樂趣，又能節省開支。怎樣才能吃好又花錢不多？去超市買東西的時候，應如何巧用各種促銷活動？本集《隨身英語》介紹幾個控制日常飲食開銷的省錢妙招。

Vocabulary: money 詞匯: 金錢

Are you planning to eat out tonight or are you going to stay in to save the pennies? A meal out at a good restaurant or even a pizza parlour can set you back a small fortune, so cooking for yourself makes financial sense. But with the rise in food prices, it's important to be a savvy shopper to keep your food bill in check.

These days our supermarket shelves are packed with a tempting array of food items: from the daily staples, like bread and milk, to the exotic, like mangoes and saffron. There's also the option of buying ready meals – convenient food that comes at a price. However, if you're feeling the pinch, there are things you can do to make the money you spend on food go further.

According to the BBC Food website, it's all about changing your habits. It claims that cooking filling and tasty meals on a budget is easy. It suggests a number of 'tricks' such as using cheaper cuts of meat, "bulk out small amounts of meat with less expensive proteins" and "transform small amounts of leftovers into a filling meal".

A favourite pastime of mine to help when money is tight is to stock up on items that are on special offer – such as BOGOF deals (Buy one, get one free). However, this is more of a problem when it comes to perishable items like fresh fruit and vegetables. In the UK, about 39% of household food waste is fruit and veg. So it's a good idea not to stock up on too much of these things. Store them carefully and make the most of them in all your recipes.

Food waste is a big problem generally so shopping carefully can also reduce the amount we throw away. And in Edinburgh in Scotland, it's possible to reduce waste and not break the bank by visiting a recycled food shop, which has been set up to prevent surplus food from shops ending up in the bin. The Food Sharing Hub allows people to pay as much as they want for the rescued food, which is past its 'best before date'.

Of course, the biggest thing you can do to help your cash flow is to cut back on takeaway coffees and lunches. Making your own is usually healthier for you and your finances!

詞匯表

save the pennies 省點錢
set you back 花掉（不少錢）
a small fortune 一大筆錢
make financial sense 從錢的方面講是合理的，合算
savvy 有頭腦的
keep in check 限制（開銷）
come at a price 價格不菲的
feel the pinch 感到手頭拮據
make the money go further 讓錢花得更值
on a budget 預算很緊，節省費用
bulk out 使…量足
tight 手頭緊
stock up 大量儲備、囤積
BOGOF 買一送一
break the bank 花太多錢
cash flow 現金流轉
cut back on 削減…（花費）
finances 財力，資金

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is a negative side to buying ready meals, mentioned in the article?

2. According to the BBC Food website, what can you use to make a filling meal?

3. Why might food and vegetables make up 39% of food waste in the UK?

4. What type of food does The Food Sharing Hub 'rescue' from supermarkets?

5. Which word used in the article means 'more than is needed'?

2.  請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I had to travel by train at peak time and the ticket cost me _________.
the wallet                        a small fortune              break the bank          feel the pinch

2. Money is __________ so we've decided not to go on holiday this year.
tight                                savvy                             BOGOF                     budget

3. Due to problems with our __________, we are unable to pay the staff until next week.
save the pennies            make financial sense    cash flow                   stock up

4. I've lost my job and because we're now __________, I've decided to sell the car.
feeling the pinch             feeling a pinch               feeling pinched         felt the pinch

5. We haven't cooked enough for all our guests so I'll _________ with extra potatoes!
break the bank               BOGOF                         cut back on                bulk it out

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is a negative side to buying ready meals, mentioned in the article?
They can be expensive – they 'come at a price'.

2. According to the BBC Food website, what can you use to make a filling meal?
The BBC Food website says you can "transform small amounts of leftovers into a filling meal".

3. Why might food and vegetables make up 39% of food waste in the UK?
Fruit and vegetables don't stay fresh for long – they are perishable goods.

4. What type of food does The Food Sharing Hub 'rescue' from supermarkets?
They 'rescue' food that is about to be thrown away because it is past its 'best before date'.

5. Which word used in the article means 'more than is needed'?
The word is 'surplus' – " a recycled food shop which has been set up to prevent surplus food from shops ending up in the bin."

2.  請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I had to travel by train at peak time and the ticket cost me a small fortune.

2. Money is tight so we've decided not to go on holiday this year.

3. Due to problems with our cash flow, we are unable to pay the staff until next week.

4. I've lost my job and because we're now feeling the pinch, I've decided to sell the car.

5. We haven't cooked enough for all our guests so I'll bulk it out with extra potatoes!