If you write about personal finance, like these UAE bloggers, you have to know how to put the ho-ho-ho in Christmas for less. Is a real tree worth the money? What limit should you put on presents? And how do you ensure you don’t start the New Year in debt?
We ask Briton Steve Cronin (SC), 40, of financial education community DeadSimpleSaving.com, American teacher Zach Holz (ZH), 35, who writes The Happiest Teacher, Demos Kyprianou (DK), 36, a married Cypriot occupational psychologist and Tuan Phan (TP), a 41-year-old father-of-two and Australian meteorologist, of non-profit community SimplyFI.org, and British media manager David Hanson (DH), 40, a father-of-two, of Dubai Money Guy for their Christmas tips.
Where do you normally spend Christmas?
SC: My grandmother is 102, so I spend Christmas Day in England with her and my parents.
ZH: My holiday is usually two weeks – that's not enough time to go to the States and deal with jet lag. This year, my girlfriend is coming to visit.
DK: Last year we spent it at a restaurant with friends. The year before, home in Cyprus.
TP: In the past, I've always worked so colleagues with children can have time off. This year we are making the trip to Melbourne to spend time with my mum there.
DH: We always spend Christmas in Dubai. Flights are expensive and our families live far apart in the UK. We are lucky to have all our parents in town again this year.
Do you have a budget for presents?
SC: No budget – it's the thought that counts. A useful or thoughtful present is worth so much more. Charity donations, endangered animal sponsorships, home-made items and events are more eco-friendly too. Cash is a bit miserable: make sure there's at least one nice-looking present under the tree.
ZH: I usually donate $50 apiece for my parents and brother to charities like Doctors Without Borders or Amnesty International. I'll still get something nice for my girlfriend – but nothing crazy. I have a Secret Santa gift exchange with friends and co-workers, capped at Dh100.
DK: We do a Secret Santa at work with a budget of Dh50-100. At home we try to purchase or create experiences rather than material things – Christmas festivals, travelling, cooking favourite meals for each other.
TP: We limit the children to one toy each, under Dh50, and one small present for each other of a maximum Dh100. My stepbrother has his birthday on December 27 – I got him a smart watch below my Dh500 limit in the sales.
DH: A couple of thousand dirhams for everyone. I treat December like any other month in terms of my savings targets, so any money spent on Christmas things will have to come from savings elsewhere. Our oldest son is two-and-a-half so we get him making Christmas cards and baking with me – a batch of vanillekipferl, an Austrian Christmas cookie. When we meet our friends at Christmas, we have a Secret Santa with a Dh200 limit.
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Read more:
How much do UAE residents spend on Christmas?
Plan, give and spend smart to avoid holiday debt
'Can I take off Christmas Day as a religious holiday?'
Planning for your children’s future: the gift of financial security
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How do you plan ahead for the festive season?
SC: You know Christmas and New Year are coming, so it's worth some thought in advance. I jot down present ideas on my phone throughout the year. This year we are using Avios points for our flights from London to Helsinki, then taking Norwegian Air back to Dubai.
TP: There are lots of bargains and specials available throughout the year if you keep an eye out, are not under time pressures and are flexible, especially with flights. Three months out, the cheapest flights for a family of four to Australia around Christmas was nearly Dh15,000; four weeks before, the cheapest price is almost Dh22,000. I'm making a photobook of the children for Mum's Christmas present, which I'm sure she will proudly share with visitors long after we have returned to the UAE.
DH: We buy online in the UK and have relatives bring the presents out. We also have our family bring us a Christmas pudding.
Do you get a tree?
SC: I have a little plastic fibre-optic tree that has been with me for years. It stays out on the landing all year undecorated.
ZH: My favourite thing in the world is a real tree. I tend to get a smaller tree, so it costs about Dh250 to Dh300.
DK: We bought an artificial one a while back for about Dh150.
TP: Living in a small apartment, it was hard to get a big, real tree, so we ended up with a small 35 centimetre artificial tree from the local bargain store.
DH: We have had the same fake tree for years and years. It took a lot for me to give up on a real tree as I always had them growing up, but they're expensive - Dh350 to Dh1,000 - and all the needles have dropped off by mid-December.
What makes a special Christmas meal?
SC: I hate turkey. Bah humbug. Anything else is preferable.
ZH: I make it a pot luck with friends all bringing a dish. I can do that for Dh100 a person, even if they're making something very nice.
DK: My wife is a pescatarian so we typically eat salmon. We buy treats like chocolates and cheesecake and spend a little more on Christmas.
TP: I don't have a special Christmas meal so I'm happy to get anything that's on special. We may spend an extra Dh50-Dh100.
DH: Our biggest Christmas indulgence is ordering a turkey in – we have spent Dh550 for the bird and all the trimmings.
How do you avoid going over-the-top for Christmas?
SC: Since you know Christmas is coming, you can save a small amount each month in preparation. Buy your decorations in the January sales. If you have a huge family or a big group of friends, agree to only buy one present each.
ZH: Realise that most people really don't need more stuff, but that your donation to a worthy charity can help those who truly need it.
DK: Budget in advance, just like every month. Naturally we make some accommodation for Christmas by increasing our spend – but we still stick to it.
TP: There's always a lot of pressure to spend and over-consume for Christmas. I prefer to keep it low-key – this extra financial burden will linger months after people have forgotten about your gifts. Set a small limit – and communicate it to family and friends to manage expectations and help them reduce their costs too.
DH: It's important to remember what makes a Christmas memorable. For me that's spending time with my family. Digging yourself a debt hole for the brand-new year doesn't help anyone.
What parties do you attend?
SC: If you're in the UAE, you can have a party on the beach, in a park or your own home. It's all about the people. Having said that, you're allowed a blowout meal sometimes.
ZH: I like to host Christmas get-togethers at my place, where we decorate the tree and watch movies. At New Year my band, the Part Time Sinners, is booked to play at the M Hotel in Business Bay.
TP: For the past few New Years, I've spent the night celebrating with other tenants on my building rooftop on Reem Island, with good views of the fireworks.
DH: We go to the Christmas Fair at the Madinat Jumeirah every year and we get together with 10-15 friends at someone's villa on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
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Read more:
'I've made every money mistake you can in 13 years in the UAE'
The five-step guide to low-cost offshore investing for UAE residents
How to achieve financial independence
10 blogs to help you achieve financial independence
'Happiest Teacher' blogs about saving money in Dubai
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
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The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
SPECS
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
The%20Afghan%20connection
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
TOUR DE FRANCE INFO
Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
Stages: 21
Number of teams: 22
Number of riders: 198
RECORD%20BREAKER
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PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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