English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle

In this lesson, you will learn about 5 types of lifestyle and the way people live. Each of these lifestyles is possible as a result of certain factors or personal preference. 

We can also talk about a lifestyle that is healthy, unhealthy, active, busy or hectic, etc. 

For the purpose of this lesson, we will focus on five lifestyles only. 


AN EXTRAVAGANT LIFESTYLE / A LAVISH LIFESTYLE 

Wealthy people tend to spend a lot of money on personal property and expensive toys. You may have heard that billionaires are the new celebrity. Just like celebrities, many new money billionaires are not afraid to be seen extravagant, and they want grand toys like yachts, private jets, supercars, etc. They are drunk on their self-importance. The super rich have status anxiety, and that's why they compete with each other. For example, who has the biggest yacht, the most expensive handbags, the prettier wife, whose children go to the best schools, and things like that. What sets the hyper rich apart is their ability to have a yacht specifically designed and built for them. Of course, employing yacht designers doesn't come cheap. On average, having a yacht built for you comes at a cost of 1 million euros per meter. The interior design also adds up to the astronomical price. You can imagine that the price of a yacht is eye-watering. It's a fact that people don't really need to have a yacht, but it's a way for the rich to show off. It's not all fun and games being a billionaire. On the plus side, they have access to the most fabulous toys that money can buy like underwater aeroplanes, expensive art, theme parks, and many more. A whole industry caters for their demands whether that be party planners or gourmet deliveries. 

VOCABULARY 

• new money billionaires | the new rich (American English) - people who have recently become very rich compared to people whose families have already been rich 
• drunk on/with something - so excited that you behave in a strange way 
• the super rich | the hyper rich 
• status anxiety - tension or fear of being perceived as "unsuccessful" by the society 
• compete (with/against someone) (for something) - to try to be more successful or better than somebody else who is trying to do the same as you  
• set someone/something apart (from someone/something) (phrasal verb) - to make someone/
  something different from or better than others
• not come cheap (phrase) - If you say that something does not come cheap, you mean that it is of good quality and is therefore expensive. 
• add up (informal) (phrasal verb) - to calculate the total of two or more numbers 
• an astronomical price | an astronomical amount of money (collocations) 
• eye-watering - so high that it is difficult to think about it 
• show off (informal) (phrasal verb) - to try to impress others by talking about your possessions or abilities 
• on the plus side (idiom) - used when speaking about advantages of something 
• cater for someone (phrasal verb) - to provide the things that a particular person needs or wants

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A NOMADIC LIFESTYLE 

Some people like the comfort of home and planning for a secure future while others don't want to be settled, have a steady job and a usual routine. Those who live a nomadic lifestyle like being on the road, not having too many responsibilities and having a different routine all the time. Of course, there are reasons why people enjoy this type of lifestyle. Living like this seems to slow down time and people have more experiences compared to "a going to work and coming home" routine. Being a nomad also means that you're not tied to one specific place and you can easily travel and spend time with your family, even stay and live with them for some time. Adopting a nomadic lifestyle gives people a lot of freedom of owning less. In general, people who live in an apartment or a house tend to accumulate more, especially unnecessary stuff. Another reason for moving from one place to another is having less stress and also having more energy to do the things you love. Last but not least, this lifestyle gives people the freedom to go and explore new places. 

VOCABULARY 

• the comfort of something (collocation) - the comfort of the hotel room 
• plan for something (collocation) - make plans for something that you expect to happen 
• plan for the future (phrase) - You need to plan for the future and think about what you are going to do after graduation. 
• be settled (collocation) - comfortable and happy with you home, job, way of life, etc. 
• a steady job (collocation) - a job that is likely to continue 
• a usual routine (collocation) 
• live a nomadic lifestyle (collocation) - moving from one place to another 
• adopt a ... lifestyle (collocation) - start having one 
• be tied to something - to be restricted by a situation, job, etc., so that you cannot do exactly what you want. (e.g. When you own a house, you're tied to it. You cannot live wherever you want. ) 
• sometime (also some time) (adverb) - at a time that you do not know exactly or has not been decided yet 
• freedom of something - freedom of owning less (stuff) 

A COMFORTABLE LIFESTYLE 
 
People don't need to be rich to live comfortably. In fact, having a comfortable lifestyle means that you have enough money to buy things you need and want. Those who earn enough money are able to cover their expenses and save money at the same time. The key is to have enough to pay for your necessities and non-essentials, but also build up your savings. You need to consider the cost of living in your city and whether your income is sufficient. 
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VOCABULARY 

• live comfortably | live well (collocations) 
• a comfortable lifestyle (collocation) - with enough money 
• necessities - things that you must have and cannot manage without (e.g. rent, utilities, food, transport and health care) 
• non-essentials - things that are not completely necessary 
• build up savings | have savings (collocations)  
• the cost of living (collocation) - the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, etc. 

A SIMPLE LIFESTYLE 

If you're satisfied with what you have rather than what you want, you'll be able to live a simple lifestyle. Simple living is a voluntary choice and it doesn't mean that you force yourself to live in poverty. In fact, there are a number of reasons why people choose this type of lifestyle. For example, they can spend quality time with family and friends, have a better work-life balance, and reduce stress. Some people reduce their consumption by spending less on goods and services and saving more so that they can be financially independent. And because people don't need a lot of money, they can reduce the time spent earning money, which means they have extra time for their interests and creative activities such as art and crafts. It is also believed that the key to a simple life is to start producing and growing your own food. As a result, some people eat a simplified diet, for example, a vegan diet. 

VOCABULARY 

• live/lead a simple lifestyle (collocation) - live with few possessions or modern technologies 
• choose a lifestyle (collocation) 
• spend time (collocation) 
• reduce stress | relieve stress (collocations) 
• reduce consumption | lower consumption | cut consumption (collocations) 
• eat a diet | have a diet (collocations) 

A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE 

People who have a sedentary lifestyle or job tend to sit down a lot of the time and don't usually do exercises or physical activities. Those living this kind of lifestyle are often sitting or lying down while doing an activity such as reading, watching TV, using a smartphone, laptop or any other device for long hours. These days most people spend a lot of time looking at a screen which may have a negative impact on their health and overall well-being. People who have a lack of physical activity are at risk of various diseases or even premature death. 

VOCABULARY

• do an activity | take part in an activity | be involved in an activity (collocations) 
• have a negative impact on someone/something (collocation) 
• well-being = general health and happiness (e.g. emotional/physical/psychological well-being) 
• at risk of something (collocation) 

Note: Check the pronunciation of the word 'sedentary' in an audio dictionary and practise. 


​Other lessons: 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 


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