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KH

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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 10 April 2016 - 22:39
Hi Ladies, I've been in Dubai 3 years now and I still don't understand this rule : ( I keep hearing different things from different people. Basically, I thought the rule was that if you are on leave/away from work both the Thursday and the Sunday, THAT is when they count the weekend as leave. But if you are away on the Thursday, yes, but returning to work Sunday, then they don't count that weekend as holiday. Is that not right? Can someone explain this rule to me once and for all in layman's terms? Just FYI my dates of going away are Thursday 28 April (i.e. I'm at work on the Wednesday, but not at work the Thursday), returning to work Sunday 08 May, and they're saying they will take 10 days leave from me, not 8. if you are back on Sunday morning they should not count the last weekend. just change the dates you put in for and tell them you will be back Thursday night.
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Latest post on 10 April 2016 - 22:35
I've used them in Oman. They often don't allow you to use during peak periods (e.g. school holidays) but weekends should be ok!
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Latest post on 09 April 2016 - 17:06
dragonmart has loads, but i still found it expensive. keep an eye on dubizzle for second hand stuff.
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Latest post on 09 April 2016 - 17:05
No time to go karama or outlet mall...will have to just be colours of the flag i guess. steve irwin just wore khaki everything right? happy to say kids have no khaki in their wardrobe ;)
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Latest post on 09 April 2016 - 12:44
Where are you moving from Maril? For a family of four to live comfortably (i.e. not taking on debt to fund everyday expenses and saving a little for a rainy day), I would say you should be looking for a package of at LEAST AED 50k per month. Your baby will start nursery in a year or so, so that's 2 sets of school fees, 2 cars to run, and at least a 2 bedroom apartment in a family friendly community. Don't count on finding work yourself to cover expenses - you may well do, but you shouldn't rely on this to make ends meet in the initial calculation. Things are a little slow work wise in many sectors, and unless you are quite specialised you may have to take a substantial pay cut to find work, depending on where you are currently living & working. You will also then need to pay for good childcare while you are at work, and the cost of this can be much more than just a salary and visa.
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Latest post on 09 April 2016 - 12:18
school international day coming up - is it possible to buy one of the Aussie bush hats with corks in a kiddy size in dubai? If so, please tell me where. also, australian and south african rugby shirts for children? any help would be much appreciated!
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Latest post on 12 October 2015 - 11:13
The MoH form very clearly allows you to [b'>refuse[/b'> permission for the jab, and says that you need to provide a medical report to the school if you choose this option. (A doctor signing a card with details of a vaccination already administered is a medical report). It is mandatory for every child to be vaccinated against mumps, measles and rubella. I have no idea why everyone is saying that the children will be given it regardless of whether or not it's been administered previously - does no-one actually read what they sign anymore?
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Latest post on 01 October 2015 - 14:40
M&S have recently started a HPSC to go up against Hamilton. So far so good as far as training goes, they haven't had their first competitive event yet. Training is min. 3x per week for Juniors and 4x per week for the performance squad (older children).
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Latest post on 17 September 2015 - 14:10
Hi to IloveDubai, I am new, yes needing support. Struggling with hotel prices. bnb's not working. Also How do I find families moving that have kitchen appliances for sale; fridge, dishwasher, clothes washer, clothes dryer, water cooler. I have found a villa, move in Oct. 1, 2015 Thanks in advance. Try dubizzle, but also facebook pages - second hand Dubai & buy it sell it swap it. you should find all of what you need in terms of appliances and other bits and pieces for your house.
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Latest post on 15 September 2015 - 11:09
M&S sports I believe.
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Latest post on 19 August 2015 - 14:12
never heard of swim time but we've been very happy with swimming lessons at M&S sports. Coaches we've had are well qualified and very good with the children.
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Latest post on 19 August 2015 - 14:06
These comments are a little unfair - they said at the outset prices would be adjusted monthly depending on global price movements. Fuel prices change regularly in most other markets, and people manage to budget regardless.
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Latest post on 11 August 2015 - 10:34
Garden centre has just black and white; I'm after a dark grey. TIA
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Latest post on 16 July 2015 - 13:57
Also google Suzelle DIY...she has some very good youtube videos that will teach you both language and culture. :angel::biggrin:
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Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 14:08
Yes, once you are married, and provided you meet certain conditions (salary etc). Getting back to the original post, it's not really so easy for a woman to sponsor her husband on a regular three year visa. The authorities may allow this for 1 year (on 'humanitarian grounds') while he looks for his own job/ sponsor, but he would have to reapply every year to remain on your visa. I tried to do this a couple of months ago, and while sponsoring my children was fine, it was strongly recommended that my DH find his own sponsor.
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Latest post on 24 June 2015 - 22:45
The Greens without a doubt. you may need to update your apartment internally, but the structure is sound, especially in the older blocks and the facilities are great, especially for children.
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Latest post on 24 June 2015 - 22:41
morning ladies, i have just been offered a job in DIFC. can anyone share some information on what it is like working there please? public holidays, parking, DIFC rules & regulations, etc. thanks so much It's fantastic. end of.
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Latest post on 24 June 2015 - 22:33
I have recently had an IKEA kitchen installed and couldn't be happier with the result, for a tiny fraction of the price that Hacker et al charge. They have most of the extras that the top end branded kitchens offer, including pull out larder, soft close hinges, dampers etc and offer a 25 year warranty on the units. You will need someone to strip out your old kitchen, move any electrical sockets/ plumbing to fit the new kitchen design and to do your tiling before IKEA install the new units. For this you can try your local handyman service or a company like Homeshielm/ MAB/ The big fitout. You can also use IKEA units and get customised granite or quartz countertops made for a really high-end finish, still much more cost effective than a new 'designer' kitchen. Good luck!
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Latest post on 15 June 2015 - 22:19
It might be better to put your child in a summer camp for the hours you are both at work, than leave him/her with a stranger for 4 weeks, unless you get an agency who can send you the same person daily, and that person is qualified to look after children etc. I think Health Bay PolyClinic offers nannies like these on a daily/ weekly basis. If your child is under 5 years old, consider a nursery that operates through the school holidays, such as Hummingbird in the DIFC or Cooper Nursery.
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Latest post on 12 May 2015 - 14:51
If you are doing the transfer/ registration at one of the new satellite offices around town (eg at Emaar Square), then you can't pay by credit card. Moreover, to avoid any delays, take separate cheques for the transfer duty (4%) and any other charges you may need to pay to the Land Dept (eg mortgage registration fee etc). HTH
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Latest post on 28 April 2015 - 13:22
Islamicly it is fine. As long as it is being used for health My mother in law says that they are doing it here in Dubai in the hospitals I will ask which ones but a lot more emirati ladies are seeking this out I find this astonishing (assuming it is true). At the end of the day it is consumption of a human organ (whether freeze dried and crushed or whatever). It is not a life-saving treatment like organ transplant - I find it hard to understand the grounds on which eating/ drinking/ swallowing a placenta would be considered permissible Islamically.
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Latest post on 08 April 2015 - 11:37
I was better at work and more productive after having a child than before. It makes you very focused at work, you prioritise much better and have much more fruitful meetings because you don't have time to waste! My advice would be: Be yourself and don't be a slave to the office - you don't have to sell your soul to have a career Manage expectations - make it clear from the outset you don't do meetings after 5pm for example Meet your commitments - if you deliver what you promise on time every time people are more willing to be understanding and flexible with you when you demonstrate reliability Be decisive, clear and friendly. (Don't be too nice or apologetic - always professional). When managing people - understand the different styles and personalities and try to tailor your approach For anyone starting a new position my number one tip would be take time to observe and listen and gain a good understanding of the organisation, its goals and corporate culture. Then once you have the measure of things, you can make your plans and make your mark! edited by kitten67 on 08/04/2015 Agree 100% - this was my experience too. After 3 years at home, I felt like I'd 'lost' skills but found the opposite. Was more productive, learned more quickly and generally got back into the groove faster than I thought. The exhaustion was a shock to my system though. Wish your friend the best of luck!
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Latest post on 05 April 2015 - 14:54
according to the daily fail there was a brouhaha with pushing from silver to gold and band left the stage for 1/2hr half way through the show?
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Latest post on 05 April 2015 - 14:12
Horseworld in Nadd El Sheba. I found them much cheaper than Emirta.
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Latest post on 17 March 2015 - 14:03
Great if you are working in DIFC. They are very open to you popping in to check how LO is doing during your lunch break or if you are grabbing a coffee.
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Latest post on 10 March 2015 - 13:56
used to go here regularly when they first opened, but went last week after a long break and was very disappointed with dinner. the thai curry tasted more like unseasoned indian and my DDs fishfingers were a tad burnt. took so long to arrive so just ate what we could. wont go back there again for dinner, but it's kind of hard to go wrong with breakfast so hopefully yours will be fine!
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Latest post on 27 February 2015 - 21:21
If it is a large sum, then you can ask your bank to give you a better rate than the standard one. They will have fx traders who can quote you a much tighter spread for a large sum. Also check whether it would be cheaper to do the fx conversion to Rands here and then send rands, or do send AED or USD and have your bank in south africa do the fx part of it. Again, they should be able to offer you a better rate for a large sum.
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Latest post on 19 February 2015 - 12:36
sorry for assuming you were moving from the UK :) only things I would add: - I have seen lots of people bike to school with kids but usually live around the corner and don't have to get on any major roads. it will get very uncomfortable to do this at pick up time in the summer. - not all maid's rooms are inside the house so may not be suitable for a young child. I would assume you need a three bed when you are budgeting, and be pleasantly surprised if you can find a 2-bed that would work for your family when you get here. <em>edited by KH on 19/02/2015</em>
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Latest post on 19 February 2015 - 11:49
sunday seems a long time away with a fever of 38.9! have you tried the paediatricians at cooper clinic? they can usually fit you in on the same day. Dr Khan is very good, as is the Romanian one.
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Latest post on 19 February 2015 - 11:28
Amelia - ordinarily I would say a nice piece of silver jewellery but in Dubai I fear you may struggle to find something like this within budget. There is an artsy online uae marketplace that sells some beautiful quirky stuff (art, homewares, jewellery), all made here in the UAE, but I cant for the life of me remember the name...perhaps one of the other posters can help?
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Latest post on 19 February 2015 - 10:51
I just couldn't work out why with our potential salary package that we would need@least 35k unless we were planning on bathing in liquid gold and and ripping up the roads in our gas guzzlers to bring little ones to the most overpriced school we could find we do none of the above, but don't get much change out of 30k per month (excl rent and school fees). As DT and Daza have said, there are lot of things that just don't come up when you research online. Some medical insurance schemes have hefty co-payments, which can add up when your kids get every virus going in the first year of living here. Dental insurance often only covers the cost of a routine check up twice a year. There is no real equivalent of Lidl/ Aldi where you can stock up on basics for the household or cheap, reasonable quality clothes/ shoes/ stationery/ toys for kids. I only buy stuff in the sales here, and find that this is usually still higher than normal retail price in the UK. Shop&ship works to a point but you cant get everything this way. Want good shoes for your toddler that you need to have them try on before you buy? budget upwards of 250dhms per pair. After school activities are expensive, indoor play activities over the summer are too. School uniform costs are astronomical, and there is no alternative to buying them from the monopoly supplier. As to renting in the areas you mentioned, you may be surprised at the poor quality/ state of the homes you will get for your 150k housing allowance. Many have not been updated since they were handed over 10+ years ago, and finishes were not great to begin with. All of this is fine and can be managed on the package you are being offered as long as you know what you are signing up for. You seem to be implying that those who are advising caution on the cost of living here are either spendthrift divas living the high life or trying to dissuade others from moving here, which is not necessarily the case - they may have come here with the aim of (for example) paying off their mortgage at home within five years, or saving half their salary every month and are suggesting that on the package you are being offered, that may not be feasible.
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Latest post on 16 February 2015 - 12:46
i thought (hoped) this thread would be about something else entirely :lol: <em>edited by KH on 16/02/2015</em>
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Latest post on 31 January 2015 - 22:16
Unfortunately that isn't the way it works here! There is very little chance of successfully fighting once you've bern ticketed. Failure to pay could mean losing your driving license too, it's not worth it. I have been through this a few times. This is not entirely true. I was ticketed for parking without paying outside my office building - although I had paid by sms, there was no ticket to display. Basically the ticket said I'd parked in a different zone to the one I was in. I called up and made a complaint, as did a couple of other people in the same situation. Clearly the ticketing officer made a mistake with the zone number. After a few days for investigation, I received an email saying the mistake had been rectified and no further action needed to be taken. All clear, no fine paid, no penalties received.
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 11:54
landlord might agree to a 9m agreement, why not check? a tenancy agreement can be for any length of time surely?
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 11:50
IKEA. Love my new kitchen :)
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 09:36
If you want to live on the palm, i'd suggest renting for 6m-1 year to see how the commuting, community etc works out before buying a place there. it's much easier to make a decision about where you want to live 'long-term' once you have experienced the school run/ work commute and get to know what facilities in the area are like. Presumably you want to be here to view properties before buying, so you will need to rent for a few months anyway. Personally, the thought of driving Palm-NadSheba two or three times a day in Dubai traffic makes me want to take some pills and lie down in a dark room. I'd prefer to be close to school (think AR/The Villa etc) and drive further to work.
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 09:02
As usual here, I am the second class citizen. Do you mean to say you are treated as 'second class' because you are a woman? I have never experienced this here. Perhaps if you had applied for the investor visa as a joint owner of the property then you could have been your husband's sponsor.
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Latest post on 25 January 2015 - 11:30
We actually would like to retire out of here so that's another 15 plus years. DH is in construction which so far is stable enough. If you're buying a house here and have to leave before the mortgage is cleared, are you allowed to leave and continue paying from wherever you move to or rent it ? That's my concern really. It sounds like you've made up your mind to buy. you need to check with your mortgage provider about what happens if you want to leave the country and keep paying the loan back. I think people have done this before so it is possible. As to timing a purchase, you will never be able to time the bottom, and this should not be your main consideration if you are buying what sounds like a long-term home for yourself. it is a buyers market at the moment, but you have to hunt around and hold out for a seller who *needs* to sell to get a good price. There is loads out there for sale where the seller has an unrealistic price in mind but is willing and able to hold out until he gets it. don't waste your time there. don't forget to include the price of refurbishments in your calculations, and ongoing maintenance costs when you compare the cost of buying vs renting. Also add on insurance for the mortgage that the bank will charge, plus your own insurance policies. Avoid off plan (imo). Good luck!
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Latest post on 25 January 2015 - 10:27
Sometimes circumstances change quickly and people are in a difficult situation. but so many questions arise with this particular situation - is the mom working and if so, how will she afford childcare/ school fees if she cant afford her own studio/ one-bed apartment? If she's not working, how will she pay the rent regardless of where she lives, or feed herself and her child? she must have known her lease was going to expire, why did she not find alternatively accommodation before the last minute? If she has no money and is homeless, she might be better off seeking assistance to return to her home country rather than remaining here in what can only be described as unstable and uncertain circumstances. This is not a place where you want to be homeless and broke with a child, living in a stranger's maid's room.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 14:41
Very low package for Dubai if this is expected to cover housing, school, insurance etc. Rents in Bahrain are much lower than in Dubai, but I don't know about schooling and other costs there. You'd have to do a lot more research before making a decision, don't be rushed into it.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 14:37
DD does ballet at DIA. Kindergarten teacher had a grammatically incorrect poster (she'd made it herself) on her classroom door. It's a small thing, but doesn't say great things about the school.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 14:29
I average 5k per month including all (supermarket bought) cleaning materials, toiletries etc for a family of 6. Food/ fresh produce mostly at spinneys/ waitrose (for convenience as I don't have time to do multiple shops for different things) and cleaning/ paper products delivered with geant online.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 14:25
All of our cleaning is done with baking soda and vinegar. It works well and is cheap. where do you buy large packs of baking soda? I've been looking to do this for a while but have only ever seen the small fancy tins of baking soda in the baking stuff aisle, which I don't think would go very far.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 14:18
Id say the hosts don't give a toss about 16 quid but are very annoyed about the rudeness of the people who just didn't bother to turn up! You make a point of having party info including the phone numbers. Its extremely rude to accept, not show up and not let anyone know you're not showing up. Not replying to an invitation at all is obnoxious too!! How this story got on to Sky news though is beyond me! Agree - on reading the transcript of the messaging between the host and guest mothers, what struck me the most is that the mum who didn't show up when she said she would refused to take responsibility/ acknowledge that she was in the wrong. it sounds like she was making excuses like not having contact details, being in a rush when the host mum tried to speak to her etc. basically saying 'it's not my fault, I wasn't rude, and I don't need to pay for the fact that I said I'd turn up and then didn't'. if the dad had confirmed as late as 2 days before the party that they would be there, then that really is appalling. While I would have just written it off and not invited said child again, I can totally get the point the host was making by asking them to pay up.
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Latest post on 14 January 2015 - 22:59
Bonbon, I felt so sad reading your post. You come across as a nice person who has her priorities all sorted. I get the impression you are someone who makes considered decisions, as you have always had to think not only of yourself but of others (you mention having taken care of family financially). Some people would have said hey live a little and gone to the 600 dirhams brunch to be with friends, but you are the type of person who thinks long term - this is a lot of money to spend in one afternoon, and can be used for groceries for a week. You had told your fiancée the type of ring you were after, and had suggested a friend who knows about diamonds so he would not spend money unnecessarily on the wrong one. From your description, he comes across as someone who likes to live it up and not think of tomorrow. Do you find that he likes to 'show off'? Paying for things for friends as if he has the money; wanting extra parties that he can barely afford simply to impress family. But to the one person who may actually have a clue about his finances, he shows his real self and complains he spends too much and needs to cut back. Once you are married, had you planned to pool your finances? How would you feel when he would be spending the family money on treating his friends to expensive drinks on a Friday night, when the day before you had been in Carrefour trying to save money by buying your shampoo from the 'reduced price' aisle? You are the type of woman that he knows his family will approve of; good job, good head on your shoulders, while at the same time someone who will let him continue his bachelor existence. Have you sat him down to address his spending? Have you told him that you are not happy with him going out partying with friends without you? Or have you turned a blind eye to all this? If you had told him you were unhappy about both, but still stuck around while he ignored your feelings you have sent him a strong message - that he can do what he wants and you will stay. He has shown you who he is, believe him. As a poster pointed out, this is still the "honeymoon" phase of your relationship, and he is already acting like this. What else is in your future if you stay with him? You said it is since he proposed that you have been having issues. I would venture to say the issues were always there. Now that things are getting more permanent your instinct/intuition is kicking in and making you question if this is the future you had envisaged for yourself. If I was a good friend of yours, and you had come to me, my advice to you would be postpone the wedding. Give yourself time to decide if you want to be in this kind of relationship without a wedding date looming. If you have not set a date do not do so. If you have set a date tell everyone you need more time to plan and organise, or whatever reason. In the meantime, make yourself heard. Put your wants on the table. Put your foot down when you need to. Decide what for you are deal breakers. If he questions the postponement, print out your post as an 'aide memoire' and tell him things exactly as you have told us. Do not let yourself be bullied into accepting things you are not comfortable with. You are a strong, independent woman. If this is not for you, you have nothing to lose by walking away. super like this post Suzy, well put. Hope you are brave enough to do what needs to be done Bonbon; as hard as it may feel to put the breaks on when you are in the middle of making wedding arrangements, it will be *infinitely* worse waking up knowing you have tied yourself to the wrong person for the rest of your life. these are not small issues. Be brave. Be selfish about your own future happiness.
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Latest post on 14 January 2015 - 13:11
Have been watching this thread for a while and want to put in my two-fils worth. I have mixed feelings about the cost of living here vs the UK because so much depends on what kind of life you have, what you value/ choose to pay a premium for, whether you have children and if you do, whether you would want to put them in (for example) an inner-city London public school etc. Personally, I found London relatively cheap when I had no children - I rarely used the NHS, ate out cheaply, shopped in the sales, travelled cheaply, had an annual travel pass for public transport and paid much less in rent for a city pad than I would for similar standard accommodation here. Once I had children, a lot of new costs had to be factored in including private nursery/ school/ childcare, private medical insurance, higher travel costs as we had to move outside central to afford a bigger place, costs of running a car etc. All of this after paying a whopping amount in income tax at source. Here in dxb clearly rent is for the most part higher than the UK, as is clothing and imported food items. But private medical care, education, running a car etc are much cheaper here - or if the same price - paid for out of pre-tax income so much more affordable. I could never afford 3 sets of private school fees in the UK, but I can here. I also value things like daily bin collections (vs every fortnight in the UK), being able to drive myself to work and park for free etc, none of which was affordable in the UK. The cost of buying a detached house in Dubai is also much lower than a similar sized property in greater London, in my experience - I looked at both options last year. I've also found that on recent visits back to the London, a lot of things are MUCH more expensive than when I lived there (I tend to forget that prices have risen everywhere) although some things like clothes, toys, furniture are much cheaper still. Clearly if you put your children in a lovely village state school, are happy to rely on the NHS and are not buying a house in central London, then the cost of living would be substantially cheaper than Dubai. For me it's swings and roundabouts from a cost of living perspective and I prefer my quality of life as a working mum here rather than in London - I get to drop off my children at school on the way to work, and get to spend time with them in the evenings, have live-in help at home etc so am not spending non-work time on household chores. I guess in the end the calculations on the 'cost of living' will depend on your personal circumstances and what goods and services you consume as to whether you end up spending or saving more here relative to your home country.
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Latest post on 05 January 2015 - 10:49
Hi Singarosa - it is a big and difficult decision to make. The move from 1 to 2 babies is a big one and if you are working it is really, really hard especially as maternity leave here is nowhere near long enough. If you have any doubts, then (imo) its best to wait until you are in a better position financially and feel more comfortable with the big change. It is not the end of the world if there is a slightly bigger gap between your children, and if you are under 30 you still have loads of time. You are putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on yourself with what is, in the end, a completely arbitrary deadline that you've imposed on yourself. if you need more time, take more time. best of luck x
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Latest post on 03 January 2015 - 21:09
I should also mention that he was generally on time with his appointments and finished the work on the date we agreed. So, thanks again Di@DXB. We were certainly pleased with our experience and sorry to hear that yours didn't go so well, KH :( yes it was all going well until the last day of installation when it became clear he was only putting in one cupboard, not the two we had agreed on. he was on time and I had no reason to doubt he would deliver. but it was such a major misunderstanding after we had discussed both cupboards in detail, decided on finish, number of doors, shelves, types of handles etc and he took no responsibility for the 'misunderstanding' at all. and then to have not done a good job on the doors he did install but still demand the full payment (which he has been paid) just made it even worse. It really wasn't worth the price I paid. If others are going to use him (which I personally wouldn't), at least make sure you get a proper scope of work in writing.
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Latest post on 03 January 2015 - 13:43
Warning about Farhad the carpenter - we've just used his services based on the recommendations from this forum and have had a very bad experience. He quoted me to build 2 cupboards and clean up an oak table. When he came to install the cupboards he was adamant his quote was just for one cupboard and not for 2. Which makes it one heck of an expensive wardrobe made of cheap mdf (ikea quality is better). He also managed to drill a hole for the handle in the wrong place, then tried to patch it up with some sort of filler which looks awful. He's refused to adjust his exorbitant price to take into account the fact that I was expecting 2 cupboards for that money and also because of his botch up and has been harassing me for the full amount. I've learned my lesson to get everything in writing but he was quite clear when we discussed requirements what we agreed. I feel badly ripped off and so angry. Please be careful in dealing with this individual.
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Latest post on 03 January 2015 - 13:41
Warning about Farhad the carpenter - we've just used his services based on the recommendations from this forum and have had a very bad experience. He quoted me to build 2 cupboards and clean up an oak table. When he came to install the cupboards he was adamant his quote was just for one cupboard and not for 2. Which makes it one heck of an expensive wardrobe made of cheap mdf (ikea quality is better). He also managed to drill a hole for the handle in the wrong place, then tried to patch it up with some sort of filler which looks awful. He's refused to adjust his exorbitant price to take into account the fact that I was expecting 2 cupboards for that money and also because of his botch up and has been harassing me for the full amount. I've learned my lesson to get everything in writing but he was quite clear when we discussed requirements what we agreed. I feel badly ripped off and so angry. Please be careful in dealing with this individual.