CNN 2010-04-27

You've all been told saving's important. But it can be hard to do sometimes, especially in a recession¹. There was a recent survey that found that 54 % of adults who were interviewed said they had not been able to save money over the past year. Recently, I talked with CNN anchor and chief business correspondent² Ali Velshi about your questions on saving; when, where, how much, things like that. Listen to what Mr. Velshi had to say. AZUZ: First question we have is from a student named Jocelyn. She wants to know at what age students should start saving.

ALI VELSHI: You know, some people start saving when they're born. People give gifts and parents put that money into bank accounts or piggy banks. It is never too early to start saving. That's why we have piggy banks. You should always have some sense of putting something away for a rainy day. The thing about being a kid that's interesting is you go from not having to pay anything to a world where you want to buy everything. And then you go into college, where everything costs a lot more money than you bring in. So, if you can save money right from the beginning, the rest of your life is going to be a lot easier.

AZUZ: What percentage, is there a rule of thumb that students should start saving?

VELSHI: Well, the earlier you start saving, the lower the percentage needs to be. But generally speaking, if people can put 10% of what they bring in away, that's going to help them. That's just a good policy. So, if you're young and somebody gives you 10 bucks³, or 100 bucks, put 10% of it away into a savings⁴ account or into a piggy bank; whatever you like to do. Obviously as you get older, you're gonna want to have accounts, bank accounts. The understanding of taking a portion of your money and putting it somewhere else where you can not easily touch it, where you have to have a discussion with yourself or your parents about how you are going to spend that money, is brilliant. I think start with ten percent, and if you can do more than that, do that. And when you get large chunks⁵ of money, like gifts for birthdays or bar mitzvahs or things like that, put a larger proportion of that away. So, ten percent's a good rule of thumb for everyday money; larger porportion when you get big gifts.

AZUZ: Is there a safe place, a student named Eric is asking, he's always been curious what's the safest way to save up your money.

VELSHI: Bank accounts can be held by everybody these days. Having a bank account is a great, great idea because it gives you one extra step in having to spend that money. So you have to put it away in an account, and you have to think about the fact that you're going in and get it. You don't want it too accessible. A jar, all you gotta do is take the lid off and take that money. And you certainly, once you start building up some savings, you don't want to keep any significant amount of money inside your house.
 

1 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

2 correspondent   

n.记者，通信者；adj.符合的，一致的，相当的

参考例句：

• He volunteered as a correspondent for the war.他自愿担任作报道这次战争的记者。
• The result was correspondent with my wishes.结果与我的愿望是一致的。

3 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？