APR: abbreviation of Annual Percentage Rate. It is the cost of credit on a yearly basis; expressed as a percentage.

ATM: abbreviation of Automated Teller Machine, which is a machine, usually in a wall or cabin outside a bank, from which you can take money out of your bank account using a special card.

Bank charges: amounts of money paid by a customer for a bank’s services or as a fine if a mistake is made.

Branch: the bank or the building where customers use the bank services.

Cash flow: the total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, especially as affecting liquidity.

CD: abbreviation of Certificate of Deposit. It is a negotiable certificate of deposit paying a specified rate of interest for a specified period of time, with a penalty imposed for premature withdrawal of the deposited funds.

Checkbook (US) / Chequebook (UK): a book of blank checks with a register for recording checks written.

Checking account (US) / Current account (UK): an account at a bank against which checks can be drawn by the account depositor.

Credit report: a detailed report of an individual’s credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant’s creditworthiness.

Insurance: a practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a premium.

Liquid assets: something valuable that can be sold easily.

Loan: sum of money that is expected to be paid back with interest.

NSF: abbreviation of Non-Sufficient Fund.

Overdraft: when the amount of money withdrawn from a bank account is greater than the amount actually available in the account.

Overdrawn: draw money from (one’s bank account) in excess of what the account holds.

Savings account (US) / Deposit account (UK): a bank account that earns interest.

Standing order: an instruction to the bank to pay the same person or company the same amount of money on a regular schedule, often monthly. 

Tax: a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions.

Traveler’s check: a check for a fixed amount that can be cashed or used in payment after endorsement with the holder’s signature, generally used by people when traveling to foreign countries. It can be also changed for the local money of the country you visit.

Wire transfer: an electronic transfer from one bank or credit union to another.

Withdrawal: to take money out of an account.

IDIOMS

A fool and his money are soon parted: It is easy to persuade someone who is not sensible to spend their money on worthless things.

Money for jam: It is a very easy way of making money.

That costs an arm and a leg: It is very expensive.

To go/to buy/to sell for a song: Something sold or bought very cheaply, by implication for far less than its worth.

A license to print money: A way of making a large amount of money very easily.

PHRASAL VERBS

Dip into

“I usually dip into a book before deciding whether to buy it.”

Pay up

“If they don’t pay up we will take legal action.”

Fork out

“We don’t want to have to fork out for an expensive dinner.”

Save up

“It took me ages to save up enough money to go traveling.”

Bank on somebody/something

“I’m banking on your help.” / “I was banking on getting something to drink on the airplane.”

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