Pocketful of Dirhams

What does the future of work have in store for us?

There’s a lot of speculation about how we’ll be working and getting paid in the future – think 2040 and beyond.

While all those dystopian TV shows and movies might help you to imagine what it could be like, we are already getting glimpses of the future in our daily lives.

This is thanks to our increased reliance on automation and, of course, the more recent surge in our use of generative artificial intelligence.

One recent report on the future of work has found that traditional salaries will no longer exist – that’s right, forget the frustration of waiting for your monthly salary transfer. Instead, employees can look forward to real-time payments and even instant bonuses for a job well done.

But what else is in store for workers in the future?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Tracey Follows, a UK-based futurist who discusses her latest research on the work of the future.

How to ask for a salary rise in 2024

What is the one thing you dread most about your job? For many, that could be asking for a salary rise – even if you deserve it.

Experts say there is a right and a wrong way to ask your boss for a wage increase and you should start by being prepared before sitting down with your manager for the “salary talk”.

This could include compiling your successes over the past year to boost your case. You should also consider your goals and what benefits matter most to you, such as a better work-life balance.

It is also important to figure out the pros and cons of working full-time in the office or a hybrid mix that allows you to work from home a couple of days a week.

But how do you ensure that you start 2024 with a welcome boost to your income?

Host Felicity Glover talks to John Armstrong, founder and managing director of recruitment specialist JCA Associates, who takes us through the steps to ask for a pay rise.

A beginner’s guide to investing

Knowing how to invest is an important skill to set you on the road to securing your financial future.

Getting started, however, can be overwhelming if you are a beginner. While there’s a lot of advice on the likes of TikTok and YouTube, this is something you need to be wary about as many influencers are paid to promote investment services or are simply not financial experts.

Taking the DIY investment route with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a great option as it is low-cost and puts you in charge of your finances. Staying the course and keeping a cool head during negative market events are also key to your success.
But how do you begin?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Peter Siks, the investment coach at Saxo Bank and co-author of Investing for Dummies, who advises investors to embrace fear to hedge against global uncertainties.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid.

How to build a smart portfolio in times of crisis

As if rising interest rates and the cost-of-living crisis aren’t enough for investors to worry about these days.

Despite all the talk of a bull market this year, stock markets continue their typical roller-coaster ride – one minute they’re in positive territory and your portfolio is in the black. And the next, they are impacted by a devastating crisis, such as the wars in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.

But is there a way to create a smarter portfolio to offset geopolitical uncertainties?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Ken Fisher, the billionaire founder, executive chairman and co-chief investment officer of Fisher Investments, who advises investors to embrace fear to hedge against global uncertainties.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

How to find your ‘enough’ for financial freedom

It’s so easy to get caught up in the treadmill of life – chasing money, building our net worth, planning for retirement, supporting our families, working long hours and not spending enough time to do the things we’re passionate about with the people we love.

It took the Covid-19 pandemic to make many of us realise that our work-life balance was much more important for our long-term happiness, health and mental well-being.

I recently came across a book by personal finance expert Marissa Thakor – and it put a lot of my conditioned beliefs to the test about our constant chase for more money and success.
Titled MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your 'Enough’, it argues that we spend the better part of our adult lives accumulating as much money as possible and working way too many hours because that’s what society expects of us.

But as “The Great Resignation” trend took hold at the height of the pandemic, it became clear: many people had found their “enough” – and took a leap into the unknown.

I speak to Carol Glynn, the founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, about how to identify how much is enough for our personal and financial freedom.

Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

Why investors should stay calm while trading

The highs and lows of stock markets are often compared to a roller coaster ride – one minute, you’re on top of the world and making a profit. The next, it could all come crashing down and you start panic selling.

Knowing how to keep our emotions in check while trading is an essential skill that investors need to learn, regardless of their experience.

As legendary investor Warren Buffett once said: “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”

What are the best strategies to control our emotions while investing?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Matthew Carstens, director of product experience at neo-broker amana, who shares his best tips on how investors can keep their cool regardless of what is happening in stock markets.

Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

How to set long-term financial goals

There are many reasons why we should have long-term financial goals – but perhaps the biggest is to ensure that we have a security net during our golden years.

Working out what we want to achieve financially in our lives can be a struggle for some.
Sure, there are the usual goals that many of us may aspire to – saving for a home and our children’s education, for instance.

But what if your goals are different and you don’t want the responsibility of owning a home, or maybe you'd like to join the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and stop working at 40 – or even younger?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial, about setting financial goals and how to get started.

Hosted by Felicity Glover
Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

Can gold continue to shine this year?

What are your plans for investing in gold for the rest of year?

As many of you probably know, gold made a welcome comeback in April, jumping above $2,000 per ounce for the first time in more than a year. While the move was great news for gold investors, the bad news is that the precious metal typically rises during economic headwinds.

In this case, the US banking crisis had taken hold amid persistent inflation and fears that the US was falling into a recession. While those fears remain, we’re also officially in a bull market run – so what does this mean for gold and its outlook for the rest of 2023?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Aziz Moti, general manager and head of analysis at ISA Bullion, who discusses the precious metal’s outlook for the remainder of the year.

Hosted by Felicity Glover
Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

The Winklevoss twins on Bitcoin and investing in crypto

In this special episode of Pocketful of Dirhams, we talk to the billionaire twin brothers who famously sued Harvard classmate Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea for Facebook.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, former Olympic rowers and founders of crypto exchange Gemini, first became famous after their legal dispute with Mr Zuckerberg, portrayed in the critically acclaimed 2010 movie, The Social Network.

Their venture into the world of cryptocurrency pushed the Winklevoss twins into the spotlight again. In 2014, they founded Gemini, which has become one of the most reputable and regulated platforms in the industry.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Cameron and Tyler at The National’s newsroom in Abu Dhabi. They talk about their belief in Bitcoin, how they first came across it, why they founded Gemini, how to cope with the volatile crypto market and why AI is the next big thing for crypto.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

How to keep your money safe while travelling this summer

As the summer holidays approach, have you started thinking about how to protect your hard-earned money while travelling abroad?

There are numerous hazards to be aware of – from pickpockets to sophisticated bait and switch scams and online fraudsters, to name a few.

But there are ways that you can protect your finances before and during your holiday, such as being prepared and having a plan B in place in case your financial security is compromised.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Carol Glynn, the founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, who discusses her best tips on how to keep our money safe while travelling.

Hosted by Felicity Glover
Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid