Are You Loaded?

Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

Most people enjoy working for several reasons -- their job might be fun, or they like their employer and the other people at work. Most people I know, however, work for the money. I do not know anyone who is "loaded" -- or extremely rich.

Most of my friends work to earn enough money to live. They have to "make ends meet" -- they have to earn enough money to pay for the things they need. Some even live "from hand to mouth" -- they only have enough money for the most important things.

They struggle to earn enough money to "bring home the bacon" -- it can be difficult to earn enough money for a family to survive. Sometimes, poor people even "get caught short" -- they do not have enough money to pay for what they need.

Or they have to spend or "lay out" more money than they want for something. When this happens, poor people have to "tighten their belts" and live on less money than usual. I hate when I have to live on less money. It takes me longer to get "back on my feet" -- or return to good financial health.

However, other people are "on the gravy train" -- they get paid more money than their job is worth. These people "make a bundle" -- they really "rake in the cash." In fact, they make so much money that they can "live high off the hog" -- they own the best of everything and live in great ease. Sometimes they "pay an arm and a leg" for something.

Because "money is no object" to wealthy people, they will pay high prices for whatever they want. Sometimes, they even "pay through the nose" -- they pay too much for things.

I am not rich. I did not "make a killing" in the stock market when my stocks increased in value.

Yet, I am not poor either. When I go out with friends, I do not want to "shell out" -- or pay a lot of money. Often, my friends and I will "chip in" -- or pay jointly for a fun night out. When we go to restaurants, the meal is "Dutch treat" -- each person pays his or her own share.

Once, the owner of a restaurant gave us a dinner "on the house" -- we did not have to pay for our meals. However, I admit that we had to "grease someone’s palm" -- we had to pay money to the employee who led us to our table. The money was for a special request. Yes, it was a "buy-off" -- the employee put us at the top of the list for a table instead of making us wait like everyone else. We had a great time that night and the meal did not "set me back" at all -- I did not have to pay anything.

Because of that experience, I will always remember that nice things still happen in a world that is "driven by money." But, that is "just my two cents worth" -- it is just my opinion.

Words and Their Stories, in VOA Special English, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.