Wealth and Lifestyle Tips

With all of us spending more time than ever at home over recent months, we’ve also been living a greater proportion of our lives online. In October, a survey was carried out across several countries found that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we use e-commerce and digital solutions.

Financial freedom doesn’t have to be elusive. On the contrary, all it requires is a roadmap and committed action.

Opening a bank account is one of the first things expats do after moving to the UAE. It is only after setting up a bank account that you can begin to pay rent, receive a salary through an electronic transfer, apply for a credit card and conduct business.

Given the slowdown of travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your travel credit card is probably tucked away in some forgotten part of your wallet. The good news, however, is that even though you won’t be booking any flights or holidays abroad anytime soon, these cards still offer plenty of rewards and perks which can add value to your everyday life.

In many ways, 2020 has reminded us that there are few certainties in life. And as we have seen, those with paid-up insurance policies in place have generally fared better than those without.

First there was phishing (Email). Then came smishing (Phishing through SMS).

As a relative new payment system, there might still be some hesitancy in using Apple Pay. This article considers some common misconceptions around Apple Pay, and the truth behind them.

Given the ease with which many UAE residents seem to be offered bank credit, it can be hard to understand why your loan or credit card application was vetoed, particularly since not all banks will share their reason for refusal. Yet, the reason may have nothing to do with you personally.

Have you ever received a text message that claimed to be from your bank, Central Bank or Police, asking you to click on a link or call a phone number to verify or re-activate your frozen account? If your answer is yes then you may have been targeted by a smishing scam.

You know your age, your weight and perhaps even your blood cholesterol levels. But do you know your credit score? A significant number of UAE residents are unaware of the term, research shows, let alone that a credit score is perhaps the most important number when it comes to financial matters.

If used responsibly, credit cards can be a great tool that can help you get more for your money. In this article, we outline some of the biggest advantages of paying with cards.

It’s a myth that you need money to make money. Teaming up with other investors offers an easy way to access different asset classes without big upfront investments.

Who is responsible for teaching children about money? Should it be taught in schools, where so much of their day-to-day learning happens? Or should parents (who may be figuring out finances themselves as they go) be the ones who instil the values of personal finance? Gregg Murset, a certified financial planner, says it certainly should be discussed in school, but home is an ideal ecosystem in which to teach children about money.

Big purchases come around every now and then. What constitutes a big purchase for many people, and rightly so, is any purchase that has the potential to impact cash flow.

A personal loan can help you achieve your financial goals. But a number of factors determine how to go about picking the right loan.

The ongoing pandemic has accelerated the adoption of a digital first economy where both businesses and the consumers they serve, have little option but to adapt quickly. Besides the obvious shift to an online world, consumer behaviour over the last months have ranged greatly from toilet paper hoarding to round-the-clock content consumption.

Do you remember life before smartphones? Probably not. Smartphones are used for almost everything these days, from ordering groceries to tracking workouts and pretty much answering all our questions.

What A Savings Account Can Do for YouBeyond earning interest, there are many convincing reasons why opening a savings account makes financial sense. According to a recent survey, more than half of UAE residents struggle to save, while nearly a third admit to not saving a single dirham every month.

As we continue to tackle COVID-19, we are also grappling to keep the economy from coming to a grinding halt. To this end, corporations, schools, small businesses, NGOs, governments, and individuals have adopted various digital strategies to stay connected and productive.

The UAE is a global destination with great infrastructure and connectivity. It attracts people from all over the world who relocate to this dynamic city for work and livelihood.

Offering a unique value proposition to consumers, popular discount app VoucherSkout has attracted more than 45,000 users and 500 outlets in the UAE.

Many people striving for financial freedom struggle with saving. By making a few simple changes, you can avoid common mistakes and start building a better financial future.

With so many types of credit cards available in the UAE, many of them allow the customer to earn rewards.

Choosing the right credit card does not have to be a daunting task.

According to the 2017 Norton Cyber Security Insights, a report by Symantec Corporation, credit cards.

Weddings are a once in a lifetime event filled with fun, frolic and grandeur.

A vacation is just what you need to stop the clock and recharge once in a while.

The lure of plastic money is steadily rising and UAE is slowly inching towards becoming a cashless economy.

With credit cards having become a key factor in the financial lives of people worldwide, it comes as little surprise that providers are offering attractive offers and deals to those who sign up.

Chances are that you have seen your parents use them, your relatives and friends.

Credit is a powerful tool that comes in several forms.

After you've decided on the type of credit.

Making the most of your credit card benefits (that you may not be aware of).

Opt for a Card during your next trip.

Ramadan is traditionally a time where people spend more time with friends and family, dine out more frequently and even donate more than other times of the year.

If your income doesn't cover your expenses, you must either cut your expenses or increase.

The first step to using credit wisely is figuring out how much credit you can.

The best way to deal with credit problems is to develop good habits before problems.

Most expats come to the UAE with dreams of a better lifestyle than in their home countries.

UAE residents are increasingly putting themselves at risk of debt by turning to personal loans or credit cards.

Personal loans are probably the easiest to avail.

How often have you searched for financial options.

An unplanned trip, a close friend needs help, a hard to miss vacation deal, a shopping festival, a special anniversary, a higher education, a medical emergency

Fixed deposit (FD) - or term deposit- is one of the safest, oldest and most common investment avenues. In the UAE, although the returns from FDs are tax-free, inflation can affect the returns significantly.

A simple trait that helps all wealthy people.

If you are looking for an alternative to conventional deposits that offers attractive interest payments and portfolio diversification, then bonds should be on your radar.

You have some money to invest. There are two ways to go about it - identify the stocks, bonds and similar assets - invest individually and manage them yourself. To do so requires expertise, time and effort.

There are a multitude of investment.

In the last article we had discussed.

Financial freedom, a secure retirement.

Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

A sunny beach holiday, pursuing hobbies, and enjoying time with loved ones. If that is your picture of retirement, like most people, then planning towards it is a must. Let's face it - you retire from work, not life.

When did you last step into a bank.

What is a bitcoin and how does it work?

What is Blockchain?

The era of FinTech.

Humans have always been explorers, we’ve explored continents, continue exploring oceans and space. This instinct to explore is what drove Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati astronaut to venture into space; and the UAE’s launch of the Hope probe, which is the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere.

After a long month of fasting during Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr presents a festive respite for Muslims everywhere. Also called the Festival of Breaking the Fast – fitr translates to breakfast.

You may be surprised to find out that Ramadan is a lot more than just fasting. In this article, we highlight a few important lessons from the holy month, which can be beneficial to just about anyone.

Ramadan is a chance to slow down, and reflect upon the relationship we have with ourselves and with each other.Perhaps the most obvious aspect of Ramadan is the fast; abstaining from food and water during daylight.

Ramadan is traditionally considered a special time of the year, but current events in 2020 will shape the Islamic holy month in unprecedented ways. The global COVID-19 outbreak means that many usual events have been cancelled and traditions may be marked differently in line with health recommendations.

The holy month of Ramadan lets you witness a different side of the United Arab Emirates. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and only break their fast at sunset for a whole month.

We live in a fast-paced world where everything moves at considerable speed and change can happen in an instant.

2020 has seen a major disruption in traditional 21st century forms of entertainment. Cinemas, festivals, concerts, and birthdays were common activities one would attend.

(That are also easy to keep alive!) The term “Plant Mom/Plant Parent” has become increasingly popular since the lockdown months, as many people turned to indoor gardening to keep their minds occupied and away from stress.

It’s 2020. And it’s looking nothing like we had imagined it would be just a mere eight months ago.

A room by room guide to the best colours for each space in your home The concept that colours affect our mood and emotions is well-known and has been studied for thousands of years. In fact, this phenomenon can be traced back to ancient Egyptians who studied the effects of colours and used them to accomplish holistic benefits.

Cancelled getaways, family vacations, work conferences; it’s been five months since the COVID-19 pandemic forced borders shut across the world.

Relying on online channels to communicate with teammates and clients can be more challenging than you think! For some, the difficulty lies in adjusting to the increased frequency of online meetings while for others, virtual meetings are a relatively new experience.

Being confined at home with family members or by yourself can be stressful. With limited face-to-face interactions, feelings of stress and anxiety might begin to creep in.

Imagine you had to recount the lockdown to your children or grandchildren 50 years from now. What would you tell them? This period will forever be etched in our hearts – for those in the frontlines, a time when they stood up to the call of duty and for many of us, a time when plans and aspirations were put on hold to fight a common unseen threat.

Is your lifestyle positively affecting your health or destroying it? The constant reminder to stay healthy is everywhere from billboards to social media, but unfortunately, we’ve gotten so used to it, muted it out, and failed to live out its message consistently. All it takes is making small behavioral changes, one-step at a time.

With Father’s Day around the corner, here’s a look at the best gift experiences for dads with different interests.

Creativity Hacks to Improve Your Mental wellness You’ve been indoors for a couple of weeks, since the compulsory ‘stay home’ directive. The first two weeks were great- you finally got to spend quality time with your family.

Mother's Day is a special and unique day to honor all mums. This day of celebration is fast approaching and will be celebrated on 21st March. It's easy to get swayed into thinking that the most valuable things in life come with a high price tag but something as small as choosing to be present sends a clear and heartfelt message too.

After months of summer, when there is not much choice but to stay mostly indoors, winter in the UAE (from October to March) is a sweet taste of freedom with unlimited hours of fun in the sun.

When the clock ticks closer to midnight on New Year's Eve, it's time to think deeply about what you can accomplish in the New Year. After all 2020 dawns with new hopes and promises, so why not to make the most of it.

It's that time of the year again! Dubai is gearing up to end 2019 and welcome the New Year on a high note with its annual shopping, merrymaking and feasting extravaganza - the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)

If you have ever had the misfortune of missing a flight or dealing with a long stopover.

We have all been through it. Queuing up at the teller, waiting for the branch to open, unable to bank during holidays or weekends - just when we need, forgetting to pay bills. Welcome to digital banking! The smarter, simpler way to bank while on-the-go.

The new Citi PayAll feature gives cardholders plenty of opportunities to earn big rewards and simplify their scheduled payments. All credit cards are not equal.

Citi announced today that Citi and the Citi Foundation have committed over $65 million to date in support of COVID-19-related community relief efforts around the world.

Citi CEO Michael Corbat said, “These funds are just a first step in helping to support those immediately impacted by this crisis, including healthcare workers on the frontline and the foodbanks in the U.S. that are feeding our young people

McKinsey research suggests the digital market could add $95 billion per year to the Middle East's annual GDP by 2020 if the correct government, business, funding and talent measures are taken.