Travelling with friends is a fun way to foster deeper connections and make lasting memories. But group trips can be stressful, especially when it comes to agreeing on expenses and if everybody has different budgets.
“Travelling in groups looks easy from the outside — everyone’s either laughing by the beach or tucking into Instagram-worthy brunches,” says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial.
“But behind those smiles can be some potentially very uncomfortable conversations about money — ones that you, too, should be having when you plan your next group trip.”
Bookings for large group holidays surged in the UK after Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed, according to travel technology company Amadeus.
“We expect to see the growth of group trips continue among friends throughout 2022,” Amadeus said.
Here personal finance experts offer their advice on how to plan a holiday with friends without stressing over finances before and during your travels.
Decide on a budget
Sit down with your friends and put together a list of how much you are allocating to each expense, such as travel, accommodation, food and transport, among others, says Ramzi Khleif, general manager at digital wealth manager StashAway Mena.
“Once you know how much each thing will cost, make sure you keep that sum aside and try to stick to the budget,” he says.
Having a budget that suits everyone’s financial situation is key to enjoying your holiday, says Sophia Bhatti, a partner at financial advisers Hoxton Capital Management.
“It is important to be upfront from the beginning about your budget and what is affordable to you. Setting a budget helps when planning a trip and ultimately avoids any arguments because you have managed spending expectations beforehand,” she says.
It is important to be upfront from the beginning about your budget and what is affordable to you
Sophia Bhatti,
partner at Hoxton Capital Management
It is recommended to discuss ballpark budgets well before arriving at your destination, Mr Valecha says.
“It might be a moving target, but it’s a helpful reference point for nailing down larger expenses,” he says.
If you plan well in advance, you can even invest in low-risk portfolios, such as a money-market fund or a mix of bonds and fixed income to make a little profit before the trip, Mr Khleif says.
Make an itinerary
Do your research and create an itinerary to plan the main parts of your trip before time. This can help you and your friends get a rough estimate of how much you’re going to spend on the trip and ensure that everyone in the group knows what to expect, allowing no surprise expenses that you and you friends have not accounted for, StashAway’s Mr Khleif says.
“An itinerary allows you to book early for excursions and, in some cases, get online discounts. It also helps the group to decide whether to separate for certain activities — not everyone has the same tastes or interests,” Ms Bhatti says.
“Making an itinerary avoids extra costs for last-minute bookings or excursions and avoids anyone missing out by knowing ahead what they will be doing and spending.”
However, it’s also important to not over plan, Mr Valecha says.
“The key to group happiness is to leave plenty of room for flexibility when making itineraries — it allows for people to opt into the larger trip but pick and choose activities they would prefer to spend their money on as per their pockets,” he says.
“It is better to split up for a few hours and have everyone do something they enjoy than have anyone feeling resentful about being made to do something they weren’t completely on board with.”
Create a fund pool
Friends who are travelling together can create a fund pool by equally contributing a certain amount for the trip, Mr Valecha suggests.
Once everyone commits to going on the trip and contributes the money, elect one person who everyone trusts to oversee the funds. This could be the person who’s handling all the travel arrangements but be sure that the person is responsible and quick to respond to everyone’s questions about the status of the money and the trip, he says.
“You and your friends can also opt to alternate paying for meals or activities. This way, each person is contributing to different aspects of the trip.”
Use an app to split bills
There are many cost-splitting apps available, which allow groups to divide bills quickly and easily.
On many trips with friends, one may end up paying for dinner, the other may have hired the car and another friend may have booked an excursion, Ms Bhatti says.
It is recommended to discuss ballpark budgets well before arriving at your destination
Vijay Valecha,
chief investment officer, Century Financial
“Rather than worrying that you will not be paid what you are owed and to avoid the ‘I’ll pay for the next drink or taxi’, these apps do all the maths for you,” she says.
“Splitwise is a very handy app, just invite your friends, everyone adds their own expenses that they are due and the app calculates it all for you.”
Look for group discounts and shared accommodation
If budget is a burden for some members of your group, find ways to make activities cheaper and more inclusive, Mr Valecha says.
“You don’t always need a massive group to qualify for group discounts,” he says.
Most countries and cities have discount apps and websites that you and your friends can research and download before the trip to find good deals for entertainment, shopping, food and travel. Some attractions even offer discount rates for groups of four or more than five people, Mr Khleif says.
“Many holiday and excursion companies offer group discounts, buy one get the second person free and percentage-off walk-in prices,” Ms Bhatti says.
“Restaurants, beach clubs and hotels offer promotions on their social media pages. If you have a particular place you want to visit, always check their socials.”
Sharing an Airbnb or equivalent can also save you a lot of money, Mr Khleif says.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Paris%20Agreement
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Company%20profile
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The%20specs
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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
The%20specs
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
SPECS
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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
