Visiting an art gallery, such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, is a cost-effective way to while away your time. Getty Images)
Visiting an art gallery, such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, is a cost-effective way to while away your time. Getty Images)

How to live frugally in the UAE and still feel fulfilled



I could write a list of 20 frugal things you can do in the UAE. Those lists are certainly out there, letting you know all the cheap or free events happening near you.

There are a myriad of entertainment options to keep costs down from open mic sessions to poetry readings, beaches, improv comedy, libraries, movie deals, pot lucks with friends, people watching at the mall, enjoying art galleries, driving to the top of mountains, hiking in the desert ... I could go on but you know your interests better than I do.

You get the idea though; there are plenty of low-cost things to do if you get off your couch, grab a friend and go for it.  For me, however, a more interesting topic is how often we pay for expensive activities to entertain ourselves, and how easy it is to replace those with cheaper options. If we can become more content with our own company, can we lower our expenses and save money to reach our financial goals?

As a young child I wanted to play with my friends all the time and needed constant outside entertainment.  One day, my mum sat me down and said, 'Zach, if you learn to entertain yourself, you will be much happier, because people won’t always be around'.  So, I learned about the joys of reading and got lost in thousands of books.

I also spent hours building Lego houses and space ships, learning about my plastic dinosaurs and practicing an instrument. Over time I was able to to self-entertain - a skill has stuck with me to this day.  And this was all before the internet, social media, video games or the thousands of TV channels that we can now tune into.

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Read more:

The Happiest Teacher: 'The less you want, the richer you will become'

Don't be a slave to your finances, take control

'Happiest Teacher' blogs about saving money in Dubai

Finance guru Andrew Hallam’s new guide for expats wanting to become wealthy

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The internet has allowed us to be alone, but not alone, in a previously undreamed of manner.  I can now create a social group with the most specific interests and find others just like me. I can become immersed in an echo chamber of my own creation; socially isolated, but incredibly social.  For many, me included, this can make it far too easy to never leave my apartment and be permanently entertained from the comfy recesses of my couch. Add in food-ordering apps along with the gym and pool in my block and I could literally never leave my apartment.

This type of life also appeals to my frugal nature, because it's cheap to stay at home. I don't have to pay for a taxi, petrol or expensive restaurants. If I cook for myself or just have a friend over for dinner, I can cut costs further. There is great savings power in your apartment.

But then I worry that when I do emerge, I will be like Dracula - blinking, pale and hissing at the sun, unaccustomed to others and not properly socialised.  If I don’t go out, I will miss out on the many amazing things this country has to offer.  It’s about striking a balance: how many outside activities should I do versus how much I stay at home and still be social and healthy.

The answer for everyone is different.  For me, I need to do things outside my apartment or with others about four to five times a week. I am fine spending time by myself, in fact, the introvert part of me needs that to recharge from the often overwhelming nature of others. Ask yourself if you need to be entertained at all times, and if that entertainment involves going out?

There are two key principles at play here.  The first is the hedgehog principle; this states that most people like to be with others and get close to them, but then their "spikes" start hitting each other and they need to move away and have independent time. The spikes are the things about others that annoy us or drain our energy. Each person needs to know how much time they can spend with others before they need time to recharge. For me, it’s about four to six hours and then I need peace.

The second idea is the law of diminishing returns. This is a principle of economics that says the more we experience something, the less satisfying it is.  If you have a piece of chocolate cake, it’s great, but if you have chocolate cake every day for every meal, you’ll get sick of it quickly.  This applies to even the most exciting activities. If you’re a skydiving instructor, even that will lose its pizzazz over time. Our brains crave novelty.

The solution to these two principles seems to be to do new activities, but fairly infrequently so that the law of diminishing returns does not kick in. That way you can maximise the happiness from whatever it is you do. You also need to accept that it's OK to spend time by yourself or at home with your family.

There is no iron-clad rule as to how many times you should go out? You need to know yourself and experiment.  Try only doing stuff at home during the week and only going out on the weekends or try more free or cheap activities. You might find you like those more than the expensive options.

For those that have already mastered the balance between spending and having fun, the next step is to earn money from your hobbies. If you love photography, offer to shoot events for a company - this could lead to paid work further down the line. If you love music, start a band and practice until you can eventually secure gigs. There are tons of creative ways to monetise your life so that you get to do what you want and boost your wallet at the same time.

Dubai school teacher Zach Holz has won a huge following for his blog, The Happiest Teacher, which he launched in January to share his obsession with personal finance with others. Every fortnight he will be writing in The National about his journey towards financial independence and how anyone can ease themselves out of the habit of living pay cheque to pay cheque

Australia World Cup squad

Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Dubai World Cup Carnival card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m

7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

The National selections:

6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir

The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

Rating: 3.5/5

Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books

England v South Africa schedule:

  • First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
  • Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
  • Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
  • Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
Teams

Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi

Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag

Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC

Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC

Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes

Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

Fitness problems in men's tennis

Andy Murray - hip

Novak Djokovic - elbow

Roger Federer - back

Stan Wawrinka - knee

Kei Nishikori - wrist

Marin Cilic - adductor

UAE v IRELAND

All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi

1st ODI, Friday, January 8

2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10

3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12

4th ODI, Thursday, January 14

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

What is Genes in Space?

Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.

It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration. 

SERIES SCHEDULE

First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6

A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

SPECS
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Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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UAE rugby in numbers

5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons

700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams

Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams

Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season

Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season

The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Ottewill-Soulsby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrinceton%20University%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E392%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50

Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)