Wealth and minimalism pull in opposite directions, which is exactly what makes this a great discussion topic. Students tend to have strong opinions about money, possessions, and what a ‘good life’ actually looks like.
Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.
Beginner (A1-A2)
- Do you spend a lot of money or a little money each week? What do you usually spend it on?
- Do you have a lot of things in your room or is it pretty empty? What does it look like?
- If you won a lot of money, what are the first three things you would buy?
- What kind of things do you like to spend money on? (Clothes, food, games, travel, etc.)
- What is something free that makes you happy? (A walk, a sunset, time with friends, etc.)
- Did you get pocket money when you were a child? How much did you get?
- Do you usually pay with cash, a card, or your phone? Which do you like best?
- What is something you want to buy soon? How long have you been thinking about it?
- What is the most popular thing to buy in your country right now? Do you want one too?
- What is the cheapest meal you like to eat? Who makes it or where do you get it?
- If a friend needed money, would you lend it to them? How much would you be comfortable lending?
Elementary (A2)
- What is the most expensive thing you own? What makes it worth the price?
- What is something you own that you would never throw away? What makes it so special?
- What is something you bought but never use? What made you buy it?
- Do rich people in your country live very differently from regular people? How so?
- Have you ever saved up money for a long time to buy something? What was it, and was it worth the wait?
- What is the best gift you have ever received? What made it so good?
- Have you ever borrowed money from a friend or family member? How did it go?
- Have you ever tried to save money by not buying something you wanted? What happened?
- Is there something you would never spend a lot of money on? Why not?
- What is the most useless expensive thing you have seen someone buy? What makes it so useless?
Intermediate (B1)
- Do you think it is better to have a lot of things or just a few things? Why?
- If you found a lot of money on the street, what would you do with it? Why?
- What is something you think is too expensive in your country? Why do you think it costs so much?
- What is something most people buy that you think is a waste of money? Why?
- Do you think people should try to live with fewer possessions? Why or why not?
- Is it common in your country for people to show off their wealth? How do people usually react to that?
- What is the difference between a ‘want’ and a ‘need’? How do you decide which is which when you go shopping?
- Do you think social media has made people want more things? How so?
- Do you think children should learn about money and budgeting in school? Why or why not?
- Do you think a simple life with less money can be more satisfying than a busy life with more money? What makes you think so?
- What is the difference between being rich and being wealthy? Do you think most people know the difference?
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
- Some people say money can’t buy happiness. Do you agree? What do you think money can and can’t buy?
- Is it better to spend money on experiences (like travel or concerts) or on things (like clothes or electronics)? What are the good sides of each?
- How does growing up with a lot of money, or very little, shape the way a person thinks about spending and saving?
- Some people say that once you reach a certain income level, more money stops making you happier. Do you think that’s true? What do you think that level looks like?
- How do advertisements and marketing influence what people believe they need? What can be done to make people more aware of these influences?
- Do you think minimalism is a practical lifestyle for most people, or is it mainly possible for people who are already financially comfortable? Why do you think so?
- How does the media in your country portray wealthy people: as role models, as villains, or something else? How do you think that affects public attitudes toward wealth?
- In many countries, the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. What are some of the reasons for this, and what can be done about it?
- Compare how people in your parents’ or grandparents’ generation thought about money and saving with how young people think about it today. What has changed and why?
- Why do you think some people who earn a lot of money still feel like they don’t have enough? How is it different from how people with less money see things?
- How do charities and non-profit organizations decide the best way to use donations from wealthy people? What problems can come up?
- Billionaires who donate large sums to charity are often praised, but some people argue this gives too much power to individuals to decide how society’s problems get solved. What are the risks of relying on wealthy people’s generosity instead of government action?
Advanced (C1)
- Why do people who achieve significant wealth often keep working and accumulating more, even when they no longer need to? What does this pattern reveal about how humans relate to money?
- The ‘buy less, but better’ philosophy is popular among wealthy consumers. How does this idea simultaneously challenge and reinforce existing economic inequalities?
- When companies market themselves as ‘sustainable’ or ‘ethical,’ how do consumers decide what to trust? What are the limits of individual choice as a solution to systemic environmental problems?
- In many cultures, the expectation to appear successful, the right car, the right neighborhood, the right clothes, creates enormous financial pressure. How does this social performance of wealth affect people’s actual financial decisions and well-being?
- Some researchers argue that modern economies depend on people always wanting more, that a genuinely content population would be economically destabilizing. Do you think there is truth in this? What would a society built around ‘enough’ actually look like?
- Inheritance means that wealth and poverty are often inherited across generations rather than earned in each one. How does this challenge or reinforce ideas about fairness, hard work, and individual responsibility that are common in your culture?
- Minimalism has become trendy in wealthy countries, but most people throughout history lived with very little out of necessity. How does the meaning of ‘living with less’ change depending on whether it is a choice or a reality?
- Some of the happiest countries in the world have high taxes and strong social safety nets, meaning individuals keep less of their income. How might a society where personal wealth is limited actually lead to greater overall well-being?
- Tiny homes, capsule wardrobes, and digital nomad lifestyles are all part of the modern minimalism trend. To what extent are these genuine lifestyle changes, and to what extent are they just another set of products being marketed and sold?
- Many tech companies design products that become outdated or stop working after a few years, pushing people to keep buying newer versions. How does this practice of planned obsolescence conflict with the idea of owning less, and why do most consumers accept it?
- The idea of what it means to be ‘middle class’ has shifted a lot over the past few decades; in some countries, it now requires two incomes just to afford what one income used to cover. How has the definition of ‘middle class’ changed in your country, and what does that shift tell us about how wealth is really distributed?