Get richer
The Challenge
Spend less money
The Solution: There’s no doubt Abu Dhabi’s a truly expensive place, and, although many people move here with dreams of building up a giant nest egg, the truth is that many save nothing or end up in debt. But there are ways you can make sure you’re not maxing out your credit card every month by following a few simple money-saving ideas.
Firstly, is there really any need to get a taxi or drive everywhere? Although Abu Dhabi’s public transport system isn’t up to that of many other cities, it does have a fairly extensive bus service. And, as buses cost a measly Dhs1 for each journey, it’s worth the inconvenience of having to wait at a bus stop.
Groceries in Abu Dhabi can also cost a lot more than they do in many other parts of the world, which means your weekly supermarket trawl can set you back a huge chunk of your salary. We advice checking out www.moneysavingexpert.com, a website run by UK financial guru Martin Lewis, whose tips can be used the world over. One of his pearls of dosh-saving wisdom is, ‘Be aware that the more expensive products in supermarkets are placed at adults’ or children’s eye levels. So the old adage “look high and low” really does apply.’ The lesson? Crane your neck and save some money for extra potatoes. Also visit www.tiny.cc/Thrifty50 for further money saving tips.
Credit cards, with their ridiculously high interest rates, are the money-savers’ nightmare, so if you can’t bring yourself to cut them up, tuck them away in a drawer and only spend the cash you have. This will really make you think about the money you’re saving.
The Challenge
Get a better job
The Solution: Whether your current company is another victim of the global economic crisis, you feel you’ve hit a ‘creative wall’ or you simply got caught with too much of the stationery cupboard in your bag, getting yourself back on the right career path needn’t be as daunting as it seems. The government’s very own dedicated job site, www.jobs.abudhabi.ae is the best place to start, purely because of the hundreds of job listings within it. Less confident jobseekers might want to check out www.monstergulf.com, since, as well as job listings, there’s also a section dedicated to interview tips, careers advice and psychometric tests to help you concentrate your efforts in the right area. For around Dhs470, they’ll even write your CV and cover letter for you. As for a freshly pressed shirt and a winning smile, that’s down to you.
The Challenge
Lower your rent
The Solution: Abu Dhabi’s high rent problems could be coming to an end in the new year. With thousands of new properties coming online in the next few months in areas such as Reem Island and Khalifa City, rents could soon start to tumble, but only for certain types of properties. According to Craig Plumb, the Middle East head of research at property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle, there’s an oversupply of three, four and five bedroom apartments across the city, meaning prices will drop, although two and one bedroom flats and studios will hold their price, so maybe it’s time to give up your small bachelor pad and move in with friends. Craig says: ‘The reason prices are falling is not because there isn’t demand, there’s already more demand than there is supply. Prices are falling because they were at a level that couldn’t be sustained. There are more properties coming on to the market, but there is still a shortage. It’s a question of how far the rents have to fall before people can afford the stock.’ But if your tenancy contract is up for renewal, it’s still worth mentioning this to your landlord and negotiating a rent reduction.
Look better
The Challenge
Get your make-up right
The Solution: Professional freelance make-up artist Lina Hussain says there are a number of simple tips you should follow to make sure your face is looking particularly pretty this year. She tells us: ‘My main advice would be to play up on your natural tones. Choose a lip colour two shades darker than your normal shade, a blusher that matches the colour you flush naturally and a foundation that’s similar to your chest colour. Due to the UAE sun, your chest is normally a different colour to your face so it is important to match.’ She also recommends throwing out your expired makeup. ‘A general guide is that mascara only lasts three-four months, foundation lasts about two years and eye and lip pencils about six months. After this, they’re spoiled and begin to lose their colouring. Also, make sure you invest in some really good brushes, as these will last a lifetime and will help your makeup appear flawless.’ Visit Lina’s website (www.linasmakeup.com) for more information.
The Challenge
reduce your stress levels
The Solution: There is a small army of people out there devoting their entire careers to helping you chill out. So make the most of them and this three-pronged stress busting plan. First, to shift deep seated anxiety, try a hypnotherapy session with Houry Pappin from the Wellbeing Zone (www.thewell-being-zone.com). She’ll help clear some mental space and give you techniques for dealing with stressful situations. Next, book yourself in for a two-hour tension soother massage at Espa (02 656 0700), which uses volcanic stones and a blend of oils to relax and restore calm to your body. Finally, head down to the Corniche to join in a beach yoga class, which takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6.30pm and on Saturdays at 9am. And if you haven’t unwound after that, well you’ll just have to quit your job. Visit www.theyogajuice.com for more information.
The Challenge
Get a new look
The Solution: If you’re stuck in a fashion rut and fancy a wardrobe overhaul but don’t know where to start, then a personal shopper could be the solution. The problem for many of us is we find a look we like and stick to it, as it can be pretty daunting branching out from a safe style we feel suits us into more interesting territory. But this is where your own stylist could come in very handy indeed. Divine Personal Styling offers a range of services to clients in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, including personal styling and shopping sessions, wardrobe editing, and, for those who really don’t want to go it alone, weekly wardrobe planning. Stylist Kelly Lundberg says, ‘When working with clients, I focus on their “style personality”, followed by lifestyle and body shape.’ Her top tip? ‘Try it on. You never know until you try.’ Visit www.divine.ae for more information.
The Challenge
Eat more healthily
The Solution: You know what to do already. Put down the burgers, curries, chocolates or whatever else you were guiltily stuffing your face with last year. Switching to grilled meat and fish, making sure you include five portions of fruit and veg a day, and drinking plenty of water are simple tried and tested methods that ensure optimum health. But just because you already know what’s healthy doesn’t mean you’re actually going to eat it, so why not sign up for a bit of extra help? Laura Holland, an Abu Dhabi based nutritional therapist, says we should all start drinking smoothies made up with superfoods like bananas, coconut juice, avocados and ginger to boost our health in 2011. She says: ‘Juice is great for you. It’s such a quick way to get all those nutrients and vitamins into your bloodstream. Just half an hour from when you drink the juice, all that goodness is absorbed. Fresh is best.’ Laura, who can be contacted via her website www.inshallah.org.uk or on 050 504 8523, can also help you change your eating habits to address your own personal health issues including sleeplessness, headaches, eczema and stress.
Improve your social life
The Challenge
Improve your relationship
The Solution: If relations between you and your loved one have turned a little boring, bland or chilly, we have the perfect remedy to heat them up again. Book a two-hour couple’s massage lesson at Zen Spa at the Beach Rotana (02 697 9000). You and your partner take it in turns to lie on the massage table while the therapist demonstrates a series of basic Balinese massage techniques, focusing on the back, neck and shoulders. The session is relaxing and romantic as the massage chambers at Zen Spa are lit with hundreds of tea lights and strewn with flower petals. Best of all, the techniques you learn are very useful, and include motions you can take home and practise without too much difficulty, so play your cards right and you’ll be in your other half’s good books all year. And, if you’re serious about improving your massage technique, you can sign up for a series of follow-up sessions too. Think of it as an investment in domestic bliss.
The Challenge
Find more friends
The Solution: Feeling isolated is a huge problem for expats in Abu Dhabi, and if you’re not an incredibly gregarious party animal, meeting new people can be tricky. Luckily, there are a number of organisations that are ready made to help you track down some like-minded individuals. One of these is Meet Up (www.meetup.com), an website that points you in the direction of a number of groups. There is a huge variety on offer, from the Abu Dhabi Book Club, to athlete site Born to Run Abu Dhabi, to New In Abu Dhabi, which, as the name suggests, is for those who’ve just stepped off the plane. Some more esoteric groups include Hip Hop Ain’t Dead, where would-be Jay Z’s meet to bust some rhymes, and Latinos De Abu Dhabi, for Spanish speakers to get together. Also, if you’re a mum in the city who’s bored of staying at home while your hubby’s hard at work, the Abu Dhabi Ladies group (www.abudhabiladies.ae) provides coffee mornings and other support groups to stop you getting bored at home.
The Challenge
Go out more
The Solution: So, you’ve recruited a gaggle of new chums. Well done you. Sadly, in today’s fickle society it’s unlikely they’ll stick around for very long if your idea of a crazy Friday night amounts to a bucket of greasy chicken bits, the latest Ben Stiller ‘comedy’ and a few rounds of Hungry Hungry Hippos. Still, with a few decent nights out on your radar you ought to be able to cling on to one or two at the very least. If you’re new to the Abu Dhabi nightlife scene, an evening at Étoiles (02 690 7999) at Emirates Palace is a good place to start. Book yourself a private booth to get a good idea of the VIP table culture that reigns supreme across the capital. If you’re after a less formal evening of frolics, then the quiz night at Brauhaus (02 697 9000) at the Beach Rotana is picking up popularity very quickly indeed, with round-by-round prizes on offer for the brighter folk. Should you want a more traditional Arabic night out, Shisha bar Mirage (02 681 1909) near Marina Mall is an excellent spot to take your friends – they serve up excellent coffees and fruit juices, as well as a huge range of flavoured smokes.
Cleanse your conscience
The Challenge
Save the planet
The Solution: Assuming you’ve already checked out our five easy-to-keep green resolutions on page 30, you should already be well on your way to an ethically sound new year. But, if you’re the ultra-keen, there’s plenty more you can do to help the environment in 2011. For starters, water usage is a more serious problem than ever in Abu Dhabi, with authorities recently announcing plans to construct facilities for emergency reserves in Al Ain in an attempt to stave off drought. Obvious steps aside, putting a brick in your toilet cistern is an easy way to do your bit, since it means you’ll use less water with each flush. Head to www.water.heroesoftheuae.ae for more useful tips.
Elsewhere, those planning to downscale their carbon footprint might want to look into carpooling, an easy way to enjoy a greener (not to mention cheaper) commute by sharing your ride with a member of the community who regularly takes the same journey. www.carpoolworld.com is the best place to look for eager, environmentally conscious travel buddies.
We’d also advise keeping your eyes on the websites of Emirates Environmental Group (eeg-uae.org) and Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (ead.ae), since both hold clean-up projects in the latter half of the year and are always keen to recruit volunteers.
The Challenge
Learn a new skill
The Solution: Spending all your free time playing Mario Kart or watching Friends repeats might be fun, but you’re hardly bettering yourself, are you? So we recommend stepping away from the TV and trying one of the many classes and courses Abu Dhabi has to offer.
Why not start by improving your confidence and becoming an expert public speaker? The Toastmasters is an Abu Dhabi organisation that exposes its members to nerve-wracking long speeches in a ‘face your fears’ kind of approach. Afterwards, there is a debate among members that will definitely improve your confidence and social and business skills. Visit ad1950.freetoasthost.info for more information.
Being able to play an instrument well is also one of those skills that most of us wish we possessed, and being an expert on Guitar Hero really doesn’t count. If Mozart and Beethoven are your cup of tea, head along to the International Music Institute on Zayed the First Street (02 621 1949) where you can learn a huge range of classical instruments under the watchful eye of some virtuoso tutors. While if you have more metallic tastes, pay a visit to the AKM Music Centre behind the Crowne Plaza on Hamdan Street (02 677 9230), which not only sells and rents guitars, amps and equipment but is also a hangout for fellow would-be axe heroes who are longing to be the world’s greatest rock star like you.
The Challenge
Do more fore charity
The Solution: In contrast to most big cities, Abu Dhabi is mercifully free of those clipboard-wielding charity collectors who hang around on busy shopping streets haranguing passers-by to part with their bank details. Still, just because someone’s not rattling a jar in your face, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be doing your bit to help out the planet’s less fortunate souls, and if you’re in need of a karma boost for the new year (and let’s face it, who isn’t) pledging money to a local charity is surely the obvious place to start. UAE Red Crescent (rcuae.ae) ought to be a strong candidate for your spare dosh – it’s constantly on the lookout for donations to fund its work with local orphans and international aid.
Want to help out but not got a lot in your pocket? Volunteering is just as simple and potentially even more rewarding. Register your interest with Volunteer in Abu Dhabi via their website (www.volunteerinabudhabi.com) and they’ll keep you posted on their various do-gooding projects, which include beach clean-ups and Funday Sunday, a regular activity day for children with special needs. Emirati organisation Takatof (takatof.ae/English) is also constantly recruiting folk to help out on a number of exciting projects, including the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
