ESL Podcast 185 - Ways to Pay

to ringing (someone) up - to complete a purchase in a store by having the clerk add up and to provide a total purchase price for payment

I'd like all three of these pens. Can you right me up?

Your total comes to... - what a sales clerk says to a customer to tell them the total purchase price

This one is $12 and this one is $43. Your total comes to $55.

credit card - a small plastic card from a bank or business that allows someone to buy now and pay later

I better not bring my credit card with me to the sale, or I may spend too much.

Visa/MasterCard/American Express - three major types of credit cards in the U.S.

Do you think they will accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express?

to be declined - when the bank or business does not allow someone to continue using their credit card, usually because that person has not paid their bill or they are over the limit of what they are allowed to spend

I was so embarrassed when my credit card was declined at the restaurant.

I can't imagine why - I don't understand why; it's not possible; usually said when a person is surprised about something

I can't imagine why she would want to get a job instead of finishing school.

overdrawn - when a person has tried to spend more money than is available in their account

We received a notice from the bank that our account was overdrawn last month.

debit card - a small plastic card that allows a person to pay for items by taking money out of their bank account electronically

I have enough money in my bank account so I'll use my debit card to pay for this.

cash - money in coins and paper bills

I don't like carrying a lot of cash when I'm on vacation.

personal check - a check that takes money from a person's own individual bank account; (a check is a piece of paper with the signature of the person who holds the account for an amount of money; used for payment)

This store takes credit cards but it doesn't take personal checks.

bank error - a mistake made by the bank

Due to a bank error, my account had $200 more than it should!

fee - money paid as part of a service

I can't believe how much the phone bill is with all of these new government fees.

to charge - to require payment or fee

When I brought my books back to the library, the clerk told me they were one day late and charged me a small fee.

checkbook - a book of checks that have not yet been written

Let me get my checkbook and I'll write you a check for the total amount.

to hold - to reserve; to keep so no other customers can buy it

Would it be possible for you to hold this dress for me until Wednesday?

ATM - stands for "Automatic Teller Machine"; a machine that can give bank services, such as automatically giving you cash from your account

I really needed cash. I drove up and down this street, but I couldn't find an ATM.

to come right back - to return immediately

He came right back to the dinner table after making a phone call in the kitchen.

end of the day - the closing time for business

Even though the deadline was yesterday, we still had not received the order by the end of the day.