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Once you have credit card debt, the cost of financing the interest can quickly spiral. Antonie Robertson / The National
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Ali Al Khoori is among the first 50 people to take Abu Dhabi's Ghaya personal finance course. He got into debt before he was married and wanted to learn how to better manage his income and invest his salary. Victor Besa / The National
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Salama Al Ameemi leads the Ghaya course on financial responsibility. She stressed that people of all incomes and social status can find themselves in financial trouble. Satish Kumar / The National
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Course leaders said many banks had made it easy to borrow heavily - and that understanding your debt, the interest on it and planning for the future is crucial. Getty Images
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Hajer Zarrouk, a tutor on the course, starts by focusing on the difference between wants and needs. Victor Besa / The National
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Once you have credit card debt, the cost of financing the interest can quickly spiral. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZJW3YQTBH5ATYMKJLQ2XOQ2XZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=6fdfb3be1be356591a54f5788328e30ede31f0fc524fc44d6913a363c1f497c4&width=400&height=225)
Ali Al Khoori is among the first 50 people to take Abu Dhabi's Ghaya personal finance course. He got into debt before he was married and wanted to learn how to better manage his income and invest his salary. Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6DRWO3STI72PPHIMTC7OTEIUZI.jpg?smart=true&auth=afb1c8b8be0b75c3f785c36e2a231694632936d25f6d7ba2ee02cc8e752985b3&width=400&height=225)
Salama Al Ameemi leads the Ghaya course on financial responsibility. She stressed that people of all incomes and social status can find themselves in financial trouble. Satish Kumar / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/X42U4DRW6J4WYMHZE5ZKDP3674.jpg?smart=true&auth=ebc54c7d8ee04195c11fc70ccc93b100b665b3dfdbfc0120d82a2e1307fa6a34&width=400&height=225)
Course leaders said many banks had made it easy to borrow heavily - and that understanding your debt, the interest on it and planning for the future is crucial. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VV4DFSI22JZPFDO74OTFLFMEKU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b686c69413ecda9ae75f1a25ced8a30007098d6172494fe97cb7feea3dd880e5&width=400&height=225)
Hajer Zarrouk, a tutor on the course, starts by focusing on the difference between wants and needs. Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NIHXDNHS2NJGSNDS4SCI53VJOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b1e1f57e3eb4c359a27ee86907119ffa856e34429dc136052cede3f2ff42b124&width=400&height=225)
Once you have credit card debt, the cost of financing the interest can quickly spiral. Antonie Robertson / The National
Abu Dhabi financial literacy programme teaches new group money skills
The Ghaya programme helps to tackle the problem of debt
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The National
20 January, 2022
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