Tag Archives: Keren Bobker

Seasonal Spending – hints and tips for a happier Christmas & New Year

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As we head rapidly towards the end of 2019 the prospect of Christmas and New Year is daunting for many due to the cost of the celebrations. With Christmas being as much a cultural as a religious event for most people, and New Year being a party time too, this article is all about some hints and tips for budgeting at this time of year.

The holidays are a time when people want to splash out but it is all too easy to get carried away with all the advertising, tempting shop displays, and the associated pressure to make everything perfect.

The cost of living in the UAE is higher than ever and with many people having concerns about expenditure, and even job security, there are ways to cut back but still have a good time.

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2019: how it is going for you? UAE survey results

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A few weeks ago I asked people to complete a survey to see how 2019 is going for them, from a largely financial and work perspective.  Everyone was asked a series of questions about stability of work, the property market, what was impacting their personal finances, personal debts and how they felt about their life going into the second half of 2019.

Over 400 replied with just over 51% being in the 31 to 45 age group. The next largest group of respondents was aged 46 to 60 years (35%) and 70% of total respondents were married.

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News: Beneficial changes for DIFC Wills

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The DIFC Wills Service Centre (formerly called the DIFC Wills and Probate Registry) has confirmed changes to the rules (the Amendments) which will come into effect from 30th June 2019. This is good news for anyone with UAE assets.

There are two major changes, summarised as follows:

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Travel & holidays – 20 money-related hints & tips

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We’re approaching the hottest time of the year in the UAE, a time when many people think about going on holiday to avoid the heat for a while. The long school summer holiday starts shortly so many families and teachers will travel during this time. With this in mind, I’d like to give you a few hints and tips for saving and safeguarding money when travelling.

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2019 – how is it going for you? A survey

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We’re nearly half way through the year, (and isn’t it going fast?) so I’d like to take a look at how UAE residents are finding it so far from a personal financial perspective. I would therefore be grateful if you could take just a few minutes to complete this survey.

Survey.  2019: how is it going for you?

The information gathered will be used in a future article on this website and for a show on Capital Radio UAE  ( http://www.cruae.ae) on 30th June, as one of my weekly Everything UAE segments which are broadcast every Sunday, just after 6pm.

Your input is very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

I write articles such as this one as part of the holistic personal financial planning service and that I provide to expats, and the general consumer, financial and legal information that I provide in The National newspaper, on Capital Radio UAE and on the Facebook group British Expats Dubai. If I can assist you with any personal financial issues, please contact me at keren@holbornassets.com  You will find many other useful articles on this website.

If you have yet to come across Capital Radio UAE, the station re-launched in the UAE in September 2018. You can listen online at http://www.cruae.ae or is the MyTuner Radio app with FM coming soon.  The station, a franchise of London’s famous Capital Radio, is aimed at the over 35s so plays the songs you know from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Verified listeners for my weekly segment on Capital are in excess of 315,000 and growing fast so listen in to hear useful information every week.

Need to know: UAE Consumer Protection Regulations

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 The UAE has had legislation in place to protect consumers for quite a few years but the details are not as well known as they might be so this article is an overview of the law and your rights when purchasing goods and services.

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UK Spring Statement 2019 – points of relevance to expats

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The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has today delivered his Spring Statement. Less formal or broad in scope than the Budget, which moved to the Autumn last year, this is not about announcements on tax or spending, but more about economic forecasts.

The Chancellor himself describes this as a ‘non event’ from a financial point of view  but  since 1975, the government has been legally obliged to produce its projections for the economy and the public finances twice a year. That’s why have a main budget and this lower key announcement.

The question for expats, as ever, is how does it affect us?

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The retirement time bomb & why it’s even worse for women

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Retirement planning is rarely seen as an exciting topic but no one can deny that planning for your financial future is important. It becomes even more important when you find out that the vast majority of people are woefully underfunded and are sleep walking into retirement. You cannot rely on a government for full financial support so you have to take action yourself.

Most Western countries, and the UK is a prime example, are sitting on a retirement time bomb. With factors such as an ageing population, falling birth rates, and a combination of the widening gap between what people are saving and the amount they would have to put away to adequately fund their retirement, there are major concerns for the future. This was the finding of a World Economic Forum report, published in 2018.

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UAE Public Holidays for 2019

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These are the official dates of public holidays for the UAE for the coming year, as well as notable dates, so you can make a note in your diary now and plan ahead. Actual days off work for both the public and private sector should vary less than in the past and these are the dates announced by the Government so far.

This article was edited in September 2019 following an announcement by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR).

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The 12 Days of Christmas – the cost of recreating it in the UAE

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It’s the time of year for seasonal cheer and goodwill to all men so for a little fun I’ve put together something a little different. It can be tough to decide what to buy for your significant other, particularly when they seem to have everything, so sometimes you just need to be creative. Most people know the song The Twelve Days of Christmas so to show someone that they really are your true love you could go all out and recreate it!

Here is your guide  to how to find the appropriate gifts for all 12 days to your beloved. This is the UAE so we just have to do things a little differently but if you really want to impress the love of your life this Christmas here’s how you can do it, and most importantly what it is likely to cost you.

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