As the cost of living continues to rise in the UAE, many residents are coming up with innovative ways to manage their finances and even earn extra money.
Alaina Ejaz, a 23-year-old freelance content creator and marketer from London, is one such resident who has shared some of her money-saving tips.
In a TikTok video called ‘Downgrading Lifestyle to Save’, she talked about how she moved from Dubai to Sharjah to cut down on rent. By making this move, Alaina managed to reduce her monthly rent from Dh4,000 to Dh2,778. Living in Sharjah has also helped Alaina spend less on entertainment. She says that the distance to Dubai makes her think twice before going out, but she still enjoys an active social life by making new friends in Sharjah and visiting Dubai on weekends.
Alaina has other money-saving strategies too. She cooks more meals at home and has bought kitchen appliances like an air fryer and juicer to reduce her reliance on ordering food. She also follows a ‘3-day rule’, waiting for three days before making any impulsive purchases. “I only replace makeup products when they are finished and try not to follow every trend on social media,” she added.
Another resident, Ahmed, has found a way to save money on commuting. He uses both the Metro and his car to get to work. Ahmed parks his car at Centrepoint Metro Station and then takes the Metro to Dubai Internet City.
This change has saved him money on parking fees and reduced stress from traffic and parking issues. “I used to fill my car’s tank two to three times a month, costing around Dh260 each time. Now, I only need to fill it once a month,” Ahmed said. Oyebamiji Nimatalah, a Dubai resident, has been saving money by shopping at community markets instead of big supermarkets.
She now spends only Dh50 to Dh60 per month on vegetables and fruits and about Dh150 on meat, chicken, and fish. “Produce is a lot cheaper at the community markets, so it’s not a big expense for me anymore,” she said.
British expat and content creator Shannon Hynes believes that there are also affordable ways to shop at supermarkets. “You can shop smartly at a reasonable cost; it just requires a bit of research and organization,” she said. Shannon also suggests choosing a supermarket location near work to save on transportation costs.