Education has always been held in high esteem in my family. Growing up in a working-class family in the East End of London, getting a good head start in life meant attending a girls-only grammar school in Knightsbridge from the age of 12.
Unlike my school friends who often paraded around in designer clothes, I remember feeling hard done by for not being able to keep up with the latest trends. As a teen my weekly pocket money was Dh30 and I would get extra if I washed the car or cooked Sunday lunch for my family. I was never spoilt with unnecessary items or trips abroad, as everything my parents earned went towards essential living.
Life in the UAE is a million miles away from my childhood. Having holidayed here in 2005, my husband and I finally decided to set up home in this booming economy in Sept 2006. I was 24.
My husband, who is the managing director of a health spa company, rapidly climbed the career ladder and we had soon cultivated a very comfortable lifestyle for ourselves in the Gulf.
Although my career background is in event management, I found myself working for a currency-exchange company in March 2008. Although I was with the company only for a few months, I came to understand the technical analysis of currencies and the global factors that cause variations. This experience taught me the importance of understanding the fluctuation of currencies. Many of us send money home on a regular basis and this basic understanding has certainly helped me add to my savings over the years.
Intrigued by the idea of making money through such a method, I taught myself how by using an online currency-trading demo. This was a dummy account and no actual money was ever involved, and I failed to take the step of making the account live, which, of course, would have opened me up to the risk of losing real money. There is a saying between traders that "bulls and bears can eat at the table but pigs get slaughtered", and feeling like I would soon be up for slaughter, I chose to quit while I was ahead.
A world away from currency trading, I have been working as a virtual personal assistant for Servcorp, a services and virtual office company in Dubai, since November of last year. The work is interesting, as I complete PA duties for an array of different virtual clients, all who register their offices address through our company and pay us for each office-support function we provide. My work maintains its competitive edge, as I have an individual financial target set by my management for each day; striving to do the best for my clients keeps me on my toes.
My monthly salary is split almost equally into thirds between living expenses, savings and disposable income. I use online banking to transfer around 30 per cent to a savings account in the UK. My husband takes responsibility for our mortgage, which we took out in 2007 for a Dh1.85 million two-bedroom villa in the Arabian Ranches. We were thinking of selling it back in Oct 2008, and at the time we could have made Dh3.3m on the sale. However, the current downturn in the real estate market has changed everything, and with our potential profit dwindling before our eyes we have decided to keep it until the economy has a chance to recuperate.
At the moment I would recommend renting, as there are some really good deals on the market.
Although I have never personally had any large debts, I have seen people around me, including my parents, struggle to make payments and having to live with the constant stress of owing money.
Aside from taking out a few store cards when I was 18, with only a Dh15,000 debt and a credit card that I still have back in the UK, I have fortunately managed to stay away from any larger financial pitfalls. Despite the credit crisis, living in the UAE is still very expensive. My husband and I like to eat out because we both work hard during the week and the last thing on our mind is cooking dinner. Nowadays we try and eat at home more often and opt for cheaper restaurants when we do venture out. A great Lebanese meal will cost around Dh120 for two people.
I take the time to compare the prices of items at the supermarket rather than my usual speedy supermarket dash, which saw me loading up my trolley without stopping to consider how much I am paying. Another great way to keep costs down is to steer clear of expensive social events such as the Dubai Rugby Sevens or the famous Friday brunch.
When it comes to splurging, clothes are my one weakness, and I have been known to spend between Dh2,000 and Dh4,000 on an expensive dress.
I feel that buying good quality is a better long-term investment than purchasing items from a cheaper outlet. A great money-saving tip is to shop for bargain designer dresses at the Dubai Outlet Mall; with up to 50 per cent off the tagged price you can't really go wrong.
Handling money is a personal affair, and each person will react differently to the status of their finances. Money is there to be earned, and even if I was one of the super-rich I doubt I would quit working.
My best advice when it comes to managing your personal finances is to always plan ahead; that way you'll never be thrown off guard no matter what situation life throws at you.
* As told to Inga Stevens
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
