It's possible that many people don't realise all the frivolous ways they are wasting money, with small mistakes cumulatively adding up to big losses.
But once you are aware of these bad money habits, making small tweaks to your lifestyle and curbing unnecessary spending could help you to reduce debt and boost savings, experts say.
About 76 per cent of 1,015 Americans surveyed by personal finance product review website The Ascent in 2019 said they paid excessive or unnecessary fees, 73 per cent paid excessive or unnecessary interest, 71 per cent resorted to impulse buying, while 68 per cent made redundant or repeated purchases.
Other common ways of wasteful expenditure cited by the survey respondents were failing to return unnecessary items after purchasing them, buying luxury items, overpaying for digital services and not comparing prices or looking for discounts, among others.
We spoke to personal finance experts to identify some of the most common ways people waste money and solutions to fix the problem.
Paying for unused subscriptions and memberships
You don’t need to have Netflix, Amazon Prime, Shahid, Disney+, OSN+ and Apple TV all at once, says Joseph El Am, general manager at wealth manager StashAway Mena.
Many people also forget to unsubscribe to an app after the seven-day free trial. Those subscriptions may seem quite small (Dh20 or Dh30 per app per month), but they can quickly accumulate and waste your money, he warns.
Eighty-six per cent of people have some, if not all, of their subscriptions on autopay, according to an April survey among 1,000 individuals by US market research company C+R Research. About 42 per cent said they have forgotten they were still being charged for a subscription they no longer use.
The survey found 30 per cent of those polled underestimated their subscription costs by $100 to $199, while 24 per cent were off by $200 or more.
Fitness apps or subscription boxes with free trials can be a good way to try out a new product or service without a full commitment. While they are easy to sign up for, a free trial is also easy to forget, particularly if you use it only for a short period of time, according to Sophia Bhatti, a chartered wealth manager in Dubai.
Apps such as Truebill can help you identify subscriptions you’re paying for but not using, she adds.
“If you are not careful, it is easy to spend hundreds of dirhams per year on subscription services you are not even using,” says Rupert Connor, partner at Abacus Financial Consultants.
“Review your bank and/or credit card statements from the past year, identify subscriptions you are not using and cancel unused subscriptions.”
Impulse buying
An impulse buy is when you purchase something you weren’t planning to. Before you know it, these small, impulsive purchases could add up to hundreds of dirhams a month, experts warn.
An overwhelming 90 per cent of shoppers buy items not on their shopping list, according to an August survey by shopper marketing agency The Integer Group. The most popular reason for impulse buys is a sale or promotion, followed by shoppers finding a coupon to make a purchase.
“Coupons save you a little money, yes, but if you’re couponing just for the sake of it, you’re still wasting money,” says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Dubai-based Century Financial.
“Stick to coupons for the things you already buy. The exception to this is if you’re making an expensive, but necessary, purchase that you don’t regularly make, such as a car repair you can’t fix yourself, and you’re able to find a special coupon or discount for it.”
One solution to avoid impulse purchases could be to limit the number of shopping apps on your phone and also the amount of trips you take to the mall, says Mr Connor.
If you are not careful, it is easy to spend hundreds of dirhams per year on subscription services you are not even using
Rupert Connor,
partner at Abacus Financial Consultants
It is better to shop with intention, says Mr Valecha. Whether you’re shopping for clothes or groceries, always have a list, he adds.
“Always ask yourself this: do I need it? If the answer is no and it’s not on your list, resist,” Mr Valecha says.
If there is an expensive item that you want to purchase, wait for 30 days, according to StashAway’s Mr El Am. If you still believe that you need it, then you can buy it; if it’s just a nice-to-have item, avoid it.
Use rewards and discount apps to help you save more. Some of them can get you up to 50 per cent discounts on purchases, he adds.
Hitting the supermarket when you’re hungry can also be dangerous for your wallet, Ms Bhatti warns.
Hungry shoppers are more likely to be tempted by two-for-one offers, expensive snacks and food they don’t really need, she says.
Before you go shopping, write a list of what you need to buy so that you won’t be tempted once you arrive. If you find yourself heading to the tills hungry, be sure to stop for a light snack before hitting the aisles, Ms Bhatt says.
Delivery apps
If you order takeout for most of your meals, then you have an opportunity to save money.
Sixty per cent of US consumers spend more money now on food deliveries every month than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a May survey by training platform eduMe.
About 22 per cent of respondents said they now spend an average of $50 to $99 a month on food deliveries and 11 per cent spend between $100 and $149, the poll found.
“Many restaurants inflate the cost of their items on delivery apps to account for the extra logistical headache and service fees that delivery apps charge and on your end, there’s the delivery fee and potential tip for your delivery person,” Mr Connor says.
“The key to financial health is to make takeouts a thing you do every once in a while and not for every meal. Try preparing your food at home by making supper in the evening and then making extra for your lunch the next day.”
You could also prevent daily delivery orders by dedicating one hour each Sunday to prepare food for the week. It will save you time and money, Mr El Am suggests.
____________
Watch: UAE's first female food delivery driver
Making minimum credit card payments
You should pay off your credit card balance in full if you can afford to do so, Ms Bhatti says.
“Your credit card balances quickly balloon if you only make minimum payments and carry a balance month to month,” she says.
“A high-interest debt can quickly compound and become unmanageable.”
Thirty per cent of 1,249 Americans recorded an increase in credit card debt over the past two years, according to a March survey by financial services marketing company LendingTree.
Forty-two per cent of millennials and 45 per cent of parents with young children had a difficult time making credit card bill payments during the pandemic, the survey found.
It’s important for you to prioritise your credit card debt before any other transaction because it will drown you month on month if you allocate the funds to your own expenditures and also ruin your credit score, Mr El Am warns.
Take a look at last month’s credit card statements to see how much you spent in card fees and interest, Mr Valecha says.
Your credit card balances quickly balloon if you only make minimum payments and carry a balance month to month
Sophia Bhatti,
chartered wealth manager in Dubai
“Try to save up enough cash before you buy something — that way, you avoid having to buy it on credit,” he says.
“Pay off debt amounts as quickly as possible: make more than the minimum payment amounts and prioritise clearing debt before making any other luxury spends. Set up debit orders to your credit card accounts to ensure you’re killing interest costs as soon as your pay cheque arrives.”
Bank fees
Extra bank fees can waste money and be avoided by putting more thought into purchases, according to Ms Bhatti.
Overdraft fees can add up if you don’t monitor your account as payday approaches, and regularly hitting a negative balance is a sure sign that something needs to change, she says.
Some banks may also charge for one-off items such as a banker’s draft, stopping a cheque, or requesting duplicate statements.
“Always ask if there will be a charge for a one-off request and think about whether what you’re asking for is really needed.”
Brunches
A fear of missing out can make it easy to buckle under the social pressure of attending multiple brunches with friends.
At an average of Dh300 to Dh500 per brunch, the expenditure can rise quickly, says Mr Connor.
If you were doing one a week, that’s up to Dh2,000 a month or Dh24,000 per year, he adds.
“Perhaps only doing brunch on special occasions or thinking of other activities to do on the weekend will bring down this cost significantly.”
Use the 50:30:20 rule for budgeting: spend 50 per cent of your monthly income on expenditures such as groceries, rent and transportation, 30 per cent on things you want such as shopping, dining out and travel, and 20 per cent on savings and investments, Mr El Am says.
___________
Sunday brunches in the UAE — in pictures
Extended warranties
While extended warranties on your car or electronic devices may offset the cost of future repairs, they’re not always a great deal for consumers, says Mr Valecha.
“Sometimes the cost of the plan will exceed the cost of any potential repairs, or it doesn’t cover the issue that you have,” he says.
“Plus, many credit cards include extended warranty coverage for some purchases, so you may be paying for coverage you already have.”
Consider directing your extra cash towards an emergency account that you can use to cover the cost of repairs should they arise, he says.
If you already have a fully funded emergency account, you may be able to skip this expense, he adds.
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Draw for Europa League last-16
Istanbul Basaksehir v Copenhagen; Olympiakos Piraeus v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen; VfL Wolfsburg v Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter Milan v Getafe
Sevilla v AS Roma; Eintracht Frankfurt or Salzburg v Basel; LASK v Manchester United
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The%20specs
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Listen to Extra Time
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Zayed Sustainability Prize
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
SPECS
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Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
%3Cp%3EFirst%20ODI%20-%20Sunday%2C%20June%204%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESecond%20ODI%20-%20Tuesday%2C%20June%206%20%0D%3Cbr%3EThird%20ODI%20-%20Friday%2C%20June%209%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMatches%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Stadium.%20All%20games%20start%20at%204.30pm%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Adithya%20Shetty%2C%20Ali%20Naseer%2C%20Ansh%20Tandon%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Basil%20Hameed%2C%20Ethan%20D%E2%80%99Souza%2C%20Fahad%20Nawaz%2C%20Jonathan%20Figy%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Lovepreet%20Singh%2C%20Matiullah%2C%20Mohammed%20Faraazuddin%2C%20Muhammad%20Jawadullah%2C%20Rameez%20Shahzad%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Sanchit%20Sharma%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
