Pocketful of Dirhams

Are you financially prepared for the Eid Al Fitr celebrations?

There are numerous expenses associated with the holiday — such as gifts, new clothes, family gatherings, zakat and overseas travel.

There is no doubt that it can be an expensive time of the year for many households in the UAE — particularly for those who have left it too late to set budgets and put away money in the lead up to the holiday.

And that is why it’s extremely important not to give into temptation and rack up debt during Eid, particularly with the higher interest rates that credit cards attract these days.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

Have you ever wondered how finance professionals manage their own money?

It can be difficult for many of us to manage our personal finances at the best of times, such as sticking to a budget, ensuring we have enough to cover our daily expenses and consistently saving for important financial milestones, such as a down payment on a home and retirement.

There's no doubt that financial literacy is one of the most important elements of successfully managing our money — but it doesn't come naturally to some people, who struggle to plan for a financially secure future.

While some of us may seek advice from a finance professional to help us on our path to financial security, others might be wondering whether those professionals manage their money differently to regular people. And are they more responsible and less susceptible to temptation than we are?

In this episode of Pocketful of Dirhams, host Felicity Glover speaks to Fazeela Gopalani, the head of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the Middle East, who says that planning is key to managing your personal finances successfully — and something that she practices every day with her own money.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

Have you tried ChatGPT yet?

It’s that time of the year when many employees can expect a salary rise and bonus. On average, salaries in the UAE are expected to rise by 2 per cent to 5 per cent, although this depends on the sector you are working in and your role. According to a recent survey by jobs portal Bayt.com, 53 per cent of professionals in the UAE expect to receive a salary increase this year.

Employees in banking, financial services, investment management and consulting can expect the highest salary increases and bonuses in 2023, says Trefor Murphy, founder and chief executive of recruitment consultancy Cooper Fitch. However, employees in other sectors can also expect solid pay rises and benefits such as flexible working, Mr Murphy adds.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Mr Murphy, who discusses this year’s salary trends in the UAE and shares his advice on the steps you should follow to ask for a pay rise.

It can be an extremely stressful time if you lose control of your debts and can no longer keep up with monthly instalments on credit cards or loans.

There are many reasons why debts can spiral out of control — from losing your job to facing a medical emergency, or even spending beyond your means.

Whatever the reason, there are consequences — after three missed payments, banks in the UAE will alert their collections department about a debt default.

That is a situation you don’t want to find yourself in as you could eventually face legal action and a travel ban.

But how do you negotiate with debt collectors and — more importantly — make it work to your advantage?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by debt collection expert Jaya Ratnani, managing partner of Freed Financial Services, who discusses what to do if you are contacted by a collections team.

Buying property is one of the biggest financial commitments that we will make in our lives. But getting on to the property ladder can be difficult for some — saving for a deposit while also meeting other expenses can take years, more so these days as property prices quickly rise and mortgages become more expensive due to central banks raising interest rates to rein in inflation.

Others may feel uncomfortable making a financial commitment to buy a property and prefer to live their lives free of the burden of a mortgage. However, many financial experts advise that investing in property is important to diversify your portfolio, particularly in today's bear market.

One option in the UAE involves fractional property investing. Think of it like crowdsourcing — a certain number of people invest X amount of money and collectively buy a property together. The property is then rented out and investors earn a return based on the rental yield. But what is fractional property investing, how much do you need to begin and are the returns worth it?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Siddiq Farid, co-founder of real estate investment platform SmartCrowd, who discusses the pros and cons of fractional property investing.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

It has been a difficult year for cryptocurrency investors. Bitcoin has plunged from a record high of about $68,000 last year to trade in the $19,800 range on Monday, while the cryptocurrency sector's market capitalisation has again fallen below the $1 trillion mark.

Analysts warn that the cryptocurrency roller coaster ride is far from over, dragged down by this year’s equity bear market, global economic uncertainty, higher interest rates and a sharp rise in the cost of living around the world.

Many novice investors might be ruing the day they jumped on the cryptocurrency bandwagon, believing they could make a fast buck on the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum or meme coins such as Doge and Shiba Inu on their “shoot to the moon” journey. However, rather than panic selling — and risk losing a substantial chunk of your investment ― investors might want to consider some other strategies. These include holding on for dear life (HODLing) to avoid short-term volatility, or staking digital coins to earn passive income.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Stefan Rust, founder of blockchain development house Laguna Labs and former chief executive of bitcoin.com, who discusses the benefits of investing in cryptocurrencies for the longer term.

The government’s overhaul of visa regulations last September means that teenagers aged 15 to 18 can now work part-time in the UAE, giving them an opportunity to earn a regular salary and learn some vital life skills at the same time.

Those skills can include anything from money management to time management, as well as building confidence, instilling a sense of responsibility and gaining that all-important on-the-job experience.

While it is an empowering experience for youth, the two most important skills for part-time working teenagers is understanding the value of money and how to manage a regular salary, financial experts say.

This includes budgeting, setting savings goals and even beginning their investment journey as early as possible to take advantage of the benefits of long-term compounding interest.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Marilyn Pinto, founder of Kids Finance Initiative Global, who discusses the benefits of teenagers earning a regular salary through part-time work.