Shadowing Practice: Once you get money, upgrade these 10 things immediately - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
225 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Most finance content tells you to cut back.
2
Stop spending on this, stop buying that.
3
And there is a time and place for that advice.
4
But today, I'm going to do the opposite.
5
There are 10 things that you should upgrade once you start making real money,
6
specifically because of how directly they impact your mental health and your day -to -day quality of life.
7
Now, of course, this assumes your financial foundations are already in place, you're saving, you're investing, and then you have some disposable income left over.
8
So if that's you, this video is for you.
9
Let's get into number one, and that is your sleep setup.
10
If there is one upgrade on this list with the most immediate measurable return, it is probably your sleep setup.
11
In fact, Matthew Walker, who is a neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep,
12
found that sleeping less than six hours a night impairs your cognitive performance to a level equivalent to being legally drunk.
13
And most people are doing this almost every single night.
14
So I upgraded my mattress two years ago and genuinely could not believe the difference within the first week.
15
Not just sleep quality, focus, mood, energy, it compounds into everything else on this list.
16
The specific upgrades worth making are a quality mattress, a supportive pillow, blackout curtains, earplugs if you live somewhere noisy.
17
You spend a third of your life in bed.
18
It is the one piece of furniture that is worth Right, let's move on to number two, and that is your health access.
19
So this one looks different depending on your situation, but the principle, it's the same.
20
Once you're earning well, it's worth spending money to make healthcare faster, faster, faster, faster
21
and easier to access
22
so the first thing to check is does your employer already
23
offer you a health insurance as a benefit a lot of companies do actually include it in a package
24
so you just need to make sure you've opted in
25
and check what it covers
26
if you don't have it through work then a private health
27
insurance policy is in my opinion an absolute must something
28
that gets you the same day gp access fast track to specialist referrals private hospital treatment
29
if you need it the average nhs wait for a specialist referral is currently 18 weeks With private insurance, that's typically days.
30
And of course, my point isn't to completely opt out of the NHS, it's to use money to remove delays when those delays are costing you in health.
31
Okay, right, number three, and that is your pension.
32
This one is specifically for my UK people.
33
And this is essentially the equivalent of an investing upgrade.
34
Most people who are earning well are massively underusing it.
35
So the first concept is simple.
36
I've covered it in my videos before.
37
Most employers will match your pension contributions up to a certain percentage.
38
enough to get that full match, you are turning down free money.
39
That is it.
40
Log into your HR system, find out what your employer's maximum match is, and just make sure you are hitting that.
41
The second concept is less well -known, and it's specifically relevant if you are earning over £100 ,000 or about to earn...
42
or step into that £100 ,000 within your overall income in the coming year.
43
So with this, once your salary crosses that threshold, you start losing your personal allowance, which is the amount that you can earn tax -free.
44
And for every £2 you earn over £100 ,000,
45
you lose £1 ,000 of that allowance which means your effective tax rate in that band isn't 40%, it's 60%.
46
So the way out of this is to increase your pension contributions.
47
Pension contributions just reduce what HMRC calls your adjusted net income.
48
So if you're earning 110 ,000 and you contribute 10 ,000 more into your pension,
49
you're essentially bringing yourself back down to 100 ,000 and then you're restoring that full personal allowance.
50
So you haven't lost that money.
51
It's just sitting in your pension, but you'll avoid paying 60 % tax on it.
52
So overall, When I was in banking, this is something that was often spoken about, but I've met people who are earning over six figures who haven't factored this in.
53
And it's one of the first things you need to make sure that you're aware about.
54
Right, number four, and that is your financial infrastructure.
55
The biggest financial mistake people make when they start earning well is leaving money sitting in a current account doing nothing.
56
I'm a chartered accountant.
57
I've spent years teaching people how to manage their own money, index funds, ISAs, pensions.
58
I genuinely to manage it.
59
This is what this channel is built on.
60
But what I see constantly is people who understand the concepts mean to get started, but just never quite do it.
61
The money sits in that current account, for months, for years, and then the whole time inflation is eroding its value.
62
And so if you are someone who's
63
watching this nodding along that you have money sitting in your bank account and you're not investing yet.
64
Out of everything on this entire list, this is really high up.
65
Every month that's sitting there, you are never getting that compound interest back.
66
I have a completely free investing workshop.
67
I will link it below and it goes through exactly where to start
68
and everything you need to know in a lot more detail is happening this Sunday.
69
So if that is you, please go and watch it before you do anything else on this list.
70
You just need to make sure that your money is working as hard your home environment.
71
I had a broken door handle in my flat for over a year and I just lived with that.
72
And it annoyed me every time I opened the door
73
that I couldn't use the handle properly and I just had to pull the door open.
74
And I figured it was fine.
75
I didn't bother fixing it.
76
Then I rented out that flat because I was going traveling.
77
And before I rented it out, I fixed it.
78
I fixed that and I fixed everything else that I'd been ignoring for months.
79
And I remember thinking, at the time, why did it take renting this to someone else for me to do that?
80
Why wasn't I worth doing it for?
81
And I actually think a lot of us do this.
82
We tolerate things in our own homes that we would never accept anywhere else.
83
The flickering light bulb, the uncomfortable sofa, the bedroom that.. never really feels quite homey or comfortable.
84
And we just adapt around them and delay.
85
making them nice.
86
But you probably spend more time in your home than anywhere else.
87
And if that is a backdrop to almost everything, like how you sleep, how you work how you decompress the quality of
88
that environment has a direct impact on how you feel every
89
single day the upgrades don't have to be big at all
90
like better lighting warm rather than harsh overhead lights plants which have been
91
shown in multiple studies to reduce stress and improve mood.
92
A proper workspace if you're working from home.
93
I upgraded to a much larger monitor I was working from my laptop for god knows how long. And.
94
This monitor has just made working so much more productive.
95
So I cannot recommend this enough, upgrading your workspace and especially the rooms that you spend most of the time in.
96
Number six, your passions and interests.
97
This is probably a, it sounds like a bit of a weird one, but there is a version of financial success.
98
that looks straight on paper and feels completely empty in real life.
99
And that version is good salary, ticking the boxes, no idea what you actually enjoy anymore because you spend most of your time just working.
100
And I think hobbies and interests are one of the most underrated things that someone could spend on.
101
because it's one of the first things that people drop when they get busy.
102
But there is a study that found that people who regularly engage in leisure activities had significantly lower levels of
103
negative effect of depression and stress that's not marginally lower it's significantly lower
104
and even beyond the research there is something important about having a part of your life
105
that exists entirely outside of your work and your productivity Something you do purely because you enjoy it, because you're good at it,
106
because you it helps you escape from the mundane day to day
107
so once you have some disposable income invest in that properly
108
and i'm not just saying in the hobby itself
109
but also in the equipment the lessons the community around it
110
if you're running get properly fitted shoes
111
if you're really like cooking take a course
112
if you want to get into golf get the lessons whatever
113
it is take it seriously for me recently this has been swimming so i spent
114
some of my disposable income on everything swimming related.
115
And for me, it's such a nice way to
116
get out of my day -to -day and not have any technology around me, not be around anyone and just do my own thing for a bit.
117
It makes such a difference on my day -to -day.
118
So highly, highly recommend this and figuring out what your hobby
119
or your interest is and then going all in and spending on that thing to make it even more enjoyable for you.
120
I know a lot of people watching this are really good at their job and love working, but you are not just your job.
121
Your passions and interests are a huge not just for you, but also for your family.
122
There is a type of stress that doesn't show up in any productivity framework, and it is the mental load of running a household.
123
The admin, the logistics, the most list of things that need doing that lives permanently at the back of your mind.
124
And if you have a family, a partner, children, parents you support, that mental load, it multiplies.
125
So once you have disposable income, spending money to reduce that load is one of the most important direct, investments you can make in your home life.
126
Examples of this could be a cleaner, a meal delivery service on a busy weeknight, paying for someone to do the garden, having someone do the laundry and drop it off.
127
All these tasks that add up and can really drain not only you but your relationships.
128
There is also something worth saying about the people in your family who need support, whether that is helping a parent with something they're struggling with or taking something off a partner's plate.
129
Money spent reducing friction in the lives of people you love has a return that is very hard to quantify.
130
but it's very easy to feel.
131
Right, number eight, and that is your mental and physical fitness.
132
Okay, so I have very little natural discipline when it comes to going to the gym.
133
I find it the most boring thing to do, and I know that about myself.
134
So rather than pretending I would just figure it out, For a short while, I hired a personal trainer.
135
It was one of the first things that I hired when I got money.
136
And when I did my spending tracker last year, which I'll link below as well, it's completely free.
137
It was my single biggest discretionary spent.
138
And I do not regret a penny of it.
139
And I'm not saying a personal trainer is the only way to get fit.
140
But because I knew without that accountability, I simply would not show up.
141
When I used to work in banking, it was a lot more easier for me to just go to the gym on my way home from work.
142
But now it's really hard for me to get out of my office to go to do a workout.
143
And that investment forced the habit.
144
And once that habit was there, everything else improved.
145
It literally compounds into everything.
146
Maybe for you, your version of
147
actually paying for a nice subscription that makes you more motivated to work out
148
or a nice gym set that motivates you to work out or something like that.
149
And when it comes to the mental health side, therapy, coaching, even a consistent journaling practice, these are the most underrated and most deferred upgrades on this entire list.
150
It's the internal work, which is understanding how you make decisions, what drives your behavior, what is really going on underneath the surface.
151
Most people will defer this part of their upgrade indefinitely because it feels less tangible than getting a gym membership.
152
But the return on this is huge.
153
And again, if you have insurance with work, a lot of companies do provide that through your work insurance as well.
154
That is what I did.
155
So it's worth checking if that's included.
156
This video is sponsored by Shopify.
157
I created my first business, on Shopify and what surprised me was how quick it was to get started.
158
I didn't have to figure everything out from scratch.
159
It was all in one place.
160
And honestly, that's what gave me the confidence to actually get started in the first place
161
because Shopify takes all the guesswork out.
162
And your products get discovered everywhere people are already shopping.
163
Google, YouTube, TikTok, even ChatGPT.
164
And when someone's ready to buy, ShopPay makes checkout one click, which means fewer abandoned carts and more completed sales.
165
And for everything you're not an expert in, the analytics, the copy, the promotions, Shopify's AI co -founder sidekick handles it.
166
So you can focus on the fun stuff, the creative stuff, the stuff you actually started a business to do.
167
So if you've been setting up an idea, go to shopify .com forward slash Nisha to start your free trial today.
168
That's shopify .com.
169
forward slash Nisha.
170
Then you have your skills.
171
So once you have some disposable income, One of the smartest places to put it is back into yourself, specifically into skills that directly increase your earning potential.
172
And this isn't about going and doing another degree.
173
But in fact, the most valuable upgrades are like certifications, technical training, courses that have a clear and direct line to either a higher salary
174
or a better job or a better industry.
175
And so the way I like to think about this
176
and a good rule of thumb is if this skill you're investing in will pay for itself within one or two years, it is worth it.
177
A course on AI, a financial modeling certification, these are things that can add 10 ,000, 20 ,000 to your annual salary really quickly.
178
So the ROI on that is obvious.
179
But there is also a second category of skills worth investing in that people tend to overlook.
180
And that is the ones that make you better at your existing job.
181
without necessarily changing your title.
182
So I'm talking about public speaking courses, negotiation training, management skills.
183
These are the things that determine very often whether you're going to get promoted, whether you're going to get that pay rise, whether you're going to get taken seriously in that room.
184
So the way I would think about this is, ask myself what is the one skill gap that is currently costing me the most
185
or stopping me from getting to the amount I want to earn
186
and then go and spend money to go and close that gap.
187
Right, and finally, number 10, which is your wardrobe.
188
And you're probably thinking that's rich for someone who always wears black and always wears the same thing.
189
But I don't actually, outside of
190
youtube i've definitely spent money to upgrade this part of my life
191
and i think there is a guilt
192
that comes with spending money on yourself especially on clothes like it somehow is frivolous
193
or a bit vain but the research actually doesn't support
194
that a study published found
195
that satisfaction with clothing choices was actually a significant predictor of overall well -being
196
and the research shows that when you wear clothes that fit well that make you feel confident
197
that makes your posture improve you actually feel more self -assured.
198
And there's actually a term for it.
199
It's called enclosed
200
cognition it's the idea
201
that what you wear directly changes how you think how you carry yourself how you show up
202
and i've definitely noticed this in my own life
203
if i'm going somewhere where the way i carry myself makes
204
a difference i consciously make an effort to wear something
205
that i know will make me feel more confident
206
and this isn't about buying designer
207
or dressing to impress anyone else it's literally about wearing things
208
that make you feel better
209
when you walk out the door in the morning once you
210
can afford to buy things you genuinely love wearing you're going to do it.
211
You don't really need anyone else's permission to tell you what you can and can't buy.
212
I think there is a version of financial success that people chase for years and arrive at feeling surprisingly empty.
213
The number is there.
214
The life doesn't feel that different.
215
And that is usually because the money went into the right accounts, maybe, but never went into the right places.
216
Whether that's sleep, health, your home, your passions, the people you love, your sense of who you are outside of work.
217
These aren't luxuries to consider when everything else is sorted and you're living your retired life.
218
They are the point.
219
You work hard for money and at some point it has to start working for your life.
220
So that is what this list is really about.
221
If you want to understand the financial foundations, I have one of the best videos that everyone raves on about right here.
222
If you found this useful, let me know in the comments which one you're going to upgrade first as well.
223
And thank you so much.
224
Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already.
225
I'll see you in my next video.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B23
149 sentences
rich girl habits that elevated my finances
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B271
42 sentences
The Importance of Work-Life Balance - TIPS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
192 sentences
These 7 Ways To Use AI Will Make You Rich In 2026
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
293 sentences
How to Make Money So Fast It Feels Haram
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
335 sentences
7 Books I Wish I Had Read Earlier
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B23
82 sentences
HEALTHY HABITS: 10 Daily Habits That Changed My Life (as an MD)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B213
194 sentences
I'm 40. If You're In Your 20's or 30's, Watch This
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
260 sentences
Things That Are Normal in America But Insane Everywhere Else
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
31 sentences
English shadowing | Personal Finance Management | Level B2 | How to improve English
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
190 sentences
Why You're Always Tired (and how to fix it)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
117 sentences
Things I refuse to upgrade even though I can afford to!
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
215 sentences
15 Questions Every Adult Should Answer
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills using practical financial advice from a YouTube video titled "Once you get money, upgrade these 10 things immediately." You will enhance your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation through a shadowing technique by mimicking the speaker's tone and pace. This method, known as shadowspeak, will help you become more fluent and confident in your English communication.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- upgrade - to improve or enhance something
- mental health - emotional and psychological well-being
- cognitive performance - the ability to think, learn, and remember
- healthcare access - the ability to obtain medical services
- private health insurance - a policy that provides healthcare services faster than government options
- pension contributions - money set aside for retirement
- personal allowance - the amount of income not subject to tax
- fast track - an expedited process
Practice Tips
To maximize your learning experience, engage with this video using a shadowing app or a dedicated shadowing site that allows you to listen to the video while repeating after the speaker. Pay attention to the speed and tone of their voice as you generate your own version of the phrases introduced in the video. Start with short segments, focusing on one sentence at a time, particularly phrases related to financial upgrades. This targeted approach will help reinforce your understanding of key vocabulary and phrases.
Make sure to practice consistently. Aim to listen to the video multiple times, first focusing on the overall message, then concentrating on detailed vocabulary. As you become more comfortable, try to reduce the time lag between listening and speaking. This exercise will help reinforce your shadow speech skills, improving your pronunciation and fluency. Remember, practicing with real-world content, like this financial advice video, makes learning English engaging and effective. You are not just memorizing words; you are learning to communicate effectively.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | has been swimming · you've been setting |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who are · allowance, which is · allowance which means |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've opted · I've covered · haven't lost |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was often spoken · is built · is sponsored |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.