B2 vocabulary: money and shopping

Q: What is the difference between 'lend' and 'borrow'?

**Lend** = give something for a short time: *I lent him my notes.* **Borrow** = take something for a short time: *I borrowed his notes.* The money or object goes *from* the lender *to* the borrower.

Q: What is the difference between 'economic' and 'economical'?

**Economic** is about the economy: *economic growth*. **Economical** means using little money or fuel: *an economical car*. For something low-priced, *cheap* or *good value* is more natural.

Q: Is 'cheap' negative in English?

It can be. *Cheap* can suggest low quality (*cheap plastic toys*). For a positive meaning, use *inexpensive*, *reasonably priced*, *affordable* or *good value for money*.

Q: What's the difference between 'go shopping' and 'do the shopping'?

*Go shopping* is usually for clothes and pleasure: *Let's go shopping on Saturday.* *Do the shopping* is buying food and household items: *I do the shopping on Mondays.*

Q: Which money words come up in word formation?

Look at *afford/affordable*, *finance/financial/financially*, *economy/economic/economical*, *consume/consumer/consumption*, *value/valuable/invaluable* and *pay/payment*.

B2 money and shopping vocabulary helps you talk about spending, saving and consumer habits, with collocations such as save up for, be a bargain and can't afford. This page is part of our B2 vocabulary guide and gives you 48 items with original examples, false friends like economic/economical, and exam-style practice.

By Eleanor BennettLast updated: 13 October 2026

Why money and shopping vocabulary is useful

Money is part of almost every exam topic: the cost of travelling, the salary of a job, the price of healthy food, the problem of fast fashion. You might discuss in Speaking Part 4 whether young people should learn to manage money at school, write a report on shopping facilities in your town, or listen to someone explaining why they returned something they bought online. Many common mistakes here come from confusing pairs (lend/borrow, price/prize), so careful learning pays off quickly.

Learn the groups below, then connect them with work and jobs vocabulary for income and salaries, and environment vocabulary for packaging, waste and consumer habits.

Money and shopping vocabulary: words and collocations

Use it to…	Phrases
Nouns: money and shops	price / cost / value – The price of the ticket includes lunch. The cost of living has risen. bargain – something cheaper than expected. These boots were a real bargain. receipt – the paper that shows you paid. Keep the receipt in case you need to return it. refund – money given back. I asked for a refund because the zip was broken. discount / special offer – Students get a 10% discount. the sales (British) – the period when shops reduce prices. I bought it in the January sales. budget – a plan for how much you can spend. We're on a tight budget this month. debt – money you owe. He got into debt after buying a car. savings / pocket money – I spent all my savings on a new laptop. consumer / customer / shop assistant – The customer complained to the shop assistant.
Verbs and verb collocations	spend money on – I spend too much money on coffee. (not 'spend in') save money / save up for – I'm saving up for a new bike. afford – have enough money. I can't afford to go on holiday this year. lend / borrow – you lend TO someone; you borrow FROM someone. Can you lend me five euros? owe – I still owe my sister twenty pounds. waste money on – Don't waste money on things you don't need. go shopping / do the shopping – go shopping is for pleasure; do the shopping is for food and household things. pay in cash / by card – Can I pay by card? return / exchange – I'd like to exchange this for a smaller size. cost a fortune / cost next to nothing – Eating out in that area costs a fortune.
Phrasal verbs	pay back – return money you borrowed. I'll pay you back on Friday. put aside / put by – save for later. I put aside a little each week. splash out (on) (informal) – spend a lot on something special. We splashed out on a nice dinner. shop around – compare prices in different places. Shop around before you buy a phone. rip off (informal) – charge too much. That taxi driver ripped us off. (noun: a rip-off) run up (a bill / debts) – He ran up a huge phone bill abroad. try on – put on clothes to check them. Can I try these jeans on? get by (on) – manage with little money. Students often get by on very little.
Adjectives and word families	afford → affordable / unaffordable – Housing in the city is becoming unaffordable. expensive / pricey / overpriced – The café is nice but overpriced. cheap / inexpensive / reasonable – 'cheap' can sound negative; 'reasonable' sounds positive. economy → economic / economical – economic = about the economy; economical = not wasting money. finance → financial → financially – financial problems, financially independent consume → consumer → consumption – We need to reduce our consumption. wealth → wealthy / poverty → poor – a wealthy neighbourhood worth / worthless / valuable / invaluable – invaluable means extremely useful, not 'without value'. second-hand – I buy most of my clothes second-hand. impulse buying – buying without planning. Online shopping encourages impulse buying.
Useful phrases for discussing money	value for money – The meal was good value for money. live within your means – spend only what you can afford. make ends meet – have just enough money for basic needs. be broke (informal) – have no money. I'm broke until payday. money doesn't grow on trees – money is limited. a consumer society – a society that values buying things. fast fashion – cheap clothes produced quickly and thrown away quickly. it's not worth the money – The tour wasn't worth the money. online / in-store shopping – I prefer in-store shopping for shoes. be careful with money – My grandmother is very careful with money.

False friends and confusing pairs in money vocabulary

Trap: This hotel is very economic. (Spanish económico, Italian economico, Greek oikonomikos)
Fix: For something cheap, say cheap, inexpensive or good value. Economical means not wasting money or fuel. Economic is about the economy: an economic crisis.
Trap: Can you borrow me your bike?
Fix: You lend something to someone; you borrow something from someone. Can you lend me your bike? / Can I borrow your bike?
Trap: She won the first price in the competition. (Spanish premio, Italian premio, German Preis)
Fix: A prize is what you win; a price is what you pay. German Preis covers both, which is why the mistake is common.
Trap: I passed the afternoon shopping. (Spanish pasar, Italian passare)
Fix: Time is spent: I spent the afternoon shopping.
Trap: There are good rebates in the shops now. (Spanish rebajas)
Fix: Say the sales or discounts: The sales have started.
Trap: I need a ticket for my purchase. (Spanish and Italian speakers often use ticket for this)
Fix: The paper proving you paid is a receipt. A ticket is for travel or events.
Trap: I have many moneys / a money.
Fix: Money is uncountable: a lot of money, some money.
Trap: The jacket costed 50 euros.
Fix: Cost is irregular: cost – cost – cost. The jacket cost 50 euros.

Use it in the exam: Speaking Part 4

Money questions in Speaking Part 4 are often about young people and money, or about consumer habits. Show B2 range with collocations such as live within your means, value for money and impulse buying, and give a real example. See the Part 4 question bank for more questions.

Sample Part 4 answer: money and shopping

Examiner: Should schools teach young people how to manage money?

Definitely. A lot of young people leave school without knowing how to make a budget or how debt works, and then they run up bills they can't afford. If schools taught basic skills like saving up for something or comparing prices, people would make fewer expensive mistakes. When I got my first part-time job, I spent most of my wages on clothes in the first month, and I was broke for the rest of it. A simple lesson on living within your means would have helped me a lot. Of course, parents have a role too, but not all parents are good with money themselves.

Why it works

Agrees strongly and gives a clear reason.
Uses vocabulary from this page: make a budget, debt, run up bills, afford, saving up for, broke, living within your means.
Includes a second conditional and a third conditional ('would have helped').
Adds a balancing point about parents at the end.

Money and shopping questions for speaking practice

Answer each question aloud for 30 to 45 seconds, giving at least one reason and one example.

Money and shopping

Do you prefer shopping online or in shops? Why?
Should children get pocket money, or should they earn it by helping at home?
Why do you think people buy things they don't really need?
Is it a good idea to buy second-hand clothes?
Do adverts make people spend more money than they should?
Is it ever a good idea to borrow money from friends?
Will cash disappear completely in the future?

B2 money and shopping vocabulary: FAQ

What is the difference between 'lend' and 'borrow'?

Lend = give something for a short time: I lent him my notes. Borrow = take something for a short time: I borrowed his notes. The money or object goes from the lender to the borrower.

What is the difference between 'economic' and 'economical'?

Economic is about the economy: economic growth. Economical means using little money or fuel: an economical car. For something low-priced, cheap or good value is more natural.

Is 'cheap' negative in English?

It can be. Cheap can suggest low quality (cheap plastic toys). For a positive meaning, use inexpensive, reasonably priced, affordable or good value for money.

What's the difference between 'go shopping' and 'do the shopping'?

Go shopping is usually for clothes and pleasure: Let's go shopping on Saturday. Do the shopping is buying food and household items: I do the shopping on Mondays.

Which money words come up in word formation?

Look at afford/affordable, finance/financial/financially, economy/economic/economical, consume/consumer/consumption, value/valuable/invaluable and pay/payment.