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Would you still stay in Dubai if you weren't saving any money per month?

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Jumeriah Jane36452

476

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 18:14

I don't know how people can hate or love Dubai. Your here, you choose to be, you serve a purpose, you earn money, you leave.

2362

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 18:06

I never thought I would say this, but YES, YES, YES! I really do like it here. Having said that it did take me a couple of years to adjust and I will be the first to admit that I was most definitely a Dubai Hater. Love it now, though! (will add that my DH is SHOCKED by complete 180!) Hurray!

1029

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 18:03

erm blue skies, beautiful weather, amazing people, diverse cultures, so much to see and do (still discovering things after almost 3 years) , friendly and welcoming place...i would stay even if i was saving zero! Sounds like Perth, Western Australia :) Awwwww, are you from Perth? me too:)

74

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:56

I never thought I would say this, but YES, YES, YES! I really do like it here. Having said that it did take me a couple of years to adjust and I will be the first to admit that I was most definitely a Dubai Hater. Love it now, though! (will add that my DH is SHOCKED by complete 180!)

2958

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:45

We haven't saved anything since we got here in September, but for us, it's a matter of a job or no job.. Give it time......GOOD LUCK! Yeah the first year setting up is the killer - it all gets better after that - or at least it did for us!

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:42

NO if I wasnt saving money i d move tomorrow !

232

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:38

Just interested if anyone would stay here is they weren't saving money each month? We are finding each month we have less and less to save as unforseen expenses keep cropping up as they do! Trying to weigh up the benefits of staying here over returning to the UK?? Interested in opinions. Is Dubai just a place to come to save money? We are here for the money. Would be on a plane in a heartbeat if we were not getting anywhere financially. We don't dislike the place but we have compromised our standard of living (loss of friends, fab schooling, environment etc) in coming here. I would recommend that you have a good place to go to first though (job etc) before making plans... hope things look up for you soon, I honestly feel your pain;) <em>edited by Kid Vs Kat on 05/01/2011</em>

gleekfamily24043

481

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:31

Yes, we would probably stay even if we weren't saving. The economy is bad almost everywhere, DH wouldn't get paid the same for his particular job in any of our choices of "back home." So for us, the experience of living overseas is the 2nd biggest perk for us (1st is pay rate).

Jumeriah Jane36452

476

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:18

And here i was thinking that expats were here for the cultural experience.

573

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 17:13

We haven't saved anything since we got here in September, but for us, it's a matter of a job or no job.. Give it time......GOOD LUCK!

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:59

If I was living paycheck to paycheck here, I would go home or someplace less expensive. All it would take is one unplanned expense (accident, medical problem, loss of job, etc) and you would be in the red. While that could happen anywhere, in Dubai, it could land you in jail. In many countries, if you are at home, you can get government assistance, at least temporarily. And, the economist in me thinks that inflation is going to be the big news story over the next year or two - while salaries will largely stay the same - making it harder to survive. According to Xpatulator www.xpatulator.com, the UAE is the 27th most expensive place to live out of 300 other destinations in the world. Why would you stay here and risk your financial future if you could live someplace else more securely? Interesting site, thanks! Do you know if there is any site saying top 10 countries to be an expat in the current economic climate? It would be great to get more bang for our buck cost of living wise, open to ideas....!

131

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:50

No not at all.. the title might give that impression, but trust me, I own no designer clothes, and don't live lavishily, but this book taught me a simple approach to my finances. It's about breaking down your monthly expenses, and looking at it from a different angle. If as you say you really are living on the breadline, then like other say, you should head back home where you have more security as here debt can lead to jail. But if you want to try a different approach, then this book has a good approach. It also includes simple things like the other poster said, saying your coins, looking for secondary income (which i have found in Dubai.. I now teach one or twice a month of an evening at a local college), and lots of other tips. I thought i'd throw it out there to you as another option to look at. Even if you move back home, initally it would be tough, as i'm assuming you'd have to look for work, set up a home, etc etc all that costs and the budget tips in the book can help. thanks for the link. i read a bit available on amazon and it looks interesting. can you buy it here?

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:44

No not at all.. the title might give that impression, but trust me, I own no designer clothes, and don't live lavishily, but this book taught me a simple approach to my finances. It's about breaking down your monthly expenses, and looking at it from a different angle. If as you say you really are living on the breadline, then like other say, you should head back home where you have more security as here debt can lead to jail. But if you want to try a different approach, then this book has a good approach. It also includes simple things like the other poster said, saying your coins, looking for secondary income (which i have found in Dubai.. I now teach one or twice a month of an evening at a local college), and lots of other tips. I thought i'd throw it out there to you as another option to look at. Even if you move back home, initally it would be tough, as i'm assuming you'd have to look for work, set up a home, etc etc all that costs and the budget tips in the book can help. lol! No not exactly living on breadline! Dh is on a relatively good wage but having 3 kids here is expensive when you take into account nursery fees etc...there just isn't much left over!! Trust me we have economised as much as we can. I am not about to go out to do extra work, having 3 kids is more than enough work for me!

60

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:38

We recently thought about this too as life is getting really expensive nowadays especially with kids. We move here from the UK because the UK was also very expensive for us to raise children and you earn here quite a bit more. The weather was not a big deal. Recently we think quite often to move back to our home country (also in Europe) as we miss the seasons, snow, rain, the culture and history (actually of all european countries) and especially as we get good to very good education, health care, social benefits, child support .... for free. If we add all these things combined with the many unpaid overtime my hubby does here, we will be better off back home. The fact that I found a job now, has changed the situation a little bit as we can save money again and therefore we will stay for a while.

60

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:38

We recently thought about this too as life is getting really expensive nowadays especially with kids. We move here from the UK because the UK was also very expensive for us to raise children and you earn here quite a bit more. The weather was not a big deal. Recently we think quite often to move back to our home country (also in Europe) as we miss the seasons, snow, rain, the culture and history (actually of all european countries) and especially as we get good to very good education, health care, social benefits, child support .... for free. If we add all these things combined with the many unpaid overtime my hubby does here, we will be better off back home. The fact that I found a job now, has changed the situation a little bit as we can save money again and therefore we will stay for a while.

134

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:35

No not at all.. the title might give that impression, but trust me, I own no designer clothes, and don't live lavishily, but this book taught me a simple approach to my finances. It's about breaking down your monthly expenses, and looking at it from a different angle. If as you say you really are living on the breadline, then like other say, you should head back home where you have more security as here debt can lead to jail. But if you want to try a different approach, then this book has a good approach. It also includes simple things like the other poster said, saying your coins, looking for secondary income (which i have found in Dubai.. I now teach one or twice a month of an evening at a local college), and lots of other tips. I thought i'd throw it out there to you as another option to look at. Even if you move back home, initally it would be tough, as i'm assuming you'd have to look for work, set up a home, etc etc all that costs and the budget tips in the book can help.

384

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:35

No,too dangerous to do so. I am one of the people who like the ME. However if we're not saving at all, then we would leave/make plans to leave.We've been there and will never ever go through that again.

298

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:31

I think its more about quality of life really for us... Savings are an added bonus (although one of the reasons we are out here...). We are both professionals, both work and bring in sizeable incomes, which enables us to drive nice cars, go for dinner when we want, live in a nice house etc etc. When we lived in the UK, we both were working and earning good salaries,but not having anywhere near the same quality of life we do here. And not saving either! And since Zimbabwe is really home, if we went home now, we would be gazillionaires!

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:28

Just to put another spin on it, why not take a fresh approach to your money. Whether you are here, home, or anywhere else, the money situation may be the same, or you could sit back and relook at your outgoings and the way you manage things. I could recommend a great book, it completly changed my approach to managing my finances, and i'm now saving lots... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sheconomics-Professor-Karen-J-Pine/dp/0755318277/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294229281&sr=8-1 To be able to economise you need the extra cash in the first place! If we economised any more we wouldn't eat, I think this book is only good if you are a spender in the first place lol!

74

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:26

Just don't forget one day you have to move from here. At home you might have some kind of pension (or not) and some kind of support (Social Security, 'free' education, 'free' healthcare, family, etc.) but here there will be nothing. Try to make the effort to save something here if you like the place. Pretend your salaries are even 500 AED less or that you got a pay cut and start saving that money. Also put all your 1 AED coins in a money box and by the time it's full (ours usually is about 600 AED then) invest it in National Bonds (only 110 AED each) - even if it takes 1 year like us. Bit by bit you will be saving. Believe me, once you start seeing little results, you'll be a better saver. PS - I know amounts might sound ridiculous to many of you lucky wealthy ladies but that's how much I manage to save with our salaries and expenses.

5400

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:21

We haven't saved anything since we got here in September, but for us, it's a matter of a job or no job..

1238

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:18

If I was living paycheck to paycheck here, I would go home or someplace less expensive. All it would take is one unplanned expense (accident, medical problem, loss of job, etc) and you would be in the red. While that could happen anywhere, in Dubai, it could land you in jail. In many countries, if you are at home, you can get government assistance, at least temporarily. And, the economist in me thinks that inflation is going to be the big news story over the next year or two - while salaries will largely stay the same - making it harder to survive. According to Xpatulator www.xpatulator.com, the UAE is the 27th most expensive place to live out of 300 other destinations in the world. Why would you stay here and risk your financial future if you could live someplace else more securely?

134

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:10

Just to put another spin on it, why not take a fresh approach to your money. Whether you are here, home, or anywhere else, the money situation may be the same, or you could sit back and relook at your outgoings and the way you manage things. I could recommend a great book, it completly changed my approach to managing my finances, and i'm now saving lots... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sheconomics-Professor-Karen-J-Pine/dp/0755318277/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294229281&sr=8-1

2262

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:05

home, goodbye, catchyalater, syonara, aufweidershein............ We can live paycheque to paycheque at home if we like....or find another place that is also sunny but cheaper !!! <em>edited by SueB on 05/01/2011</em>

108

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:03

Yeah, but it's all relative at the end of the day if at the end of the month for example you were left with exactly the same amount in the bank in either country where would it be better to be? Does that make sense??!! Then I'd definitely pack up and go home.

cleanfreak36299

61

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 16:02

definitely, we have been here 2.5 years, we have had 50,000 dhs stolen off us by a rogue landlord, been evicted, 15% pay cuts and still here laughing with no savings in the bank. we have had a fantastic wedding from being here, and I intend to stay and save when the time comes that we can!! Dubai is a fab place to live, and when I go back to UK I just cant wait to get back here!

2340

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 15:56

erm blue skies, beautiful weather, amazing people, diverse cultures, so much to see and do (still discovering things after almost 3 years) , friendly and welcoming place...i would stay even if i was saving zero! Sounds like Perth, Western Australia :) :D

1403

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 15:56

to all the dubai haters, you are most welcome to spend a weekend with me exploring and having adventures around the city! love it! I don't think anyone said they hated Dubai instead preferred home :) Exactly! Definitely don't hate Dubai. We had our first baby in Dubai so it'll always have a special place in our heart. We have a great life in Dubai and awesome friends, but yes, prefer home more but thats only natural.

17

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 15:53

We are only still here to let my daughter finish school then we will move back home,14 years on and we have all had enough!!!

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 January 2011 - 15:52

No haters here!!! Thread is not about that!

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