Pocketful of Dirhams

Is property a sound investment for the future?

There are numerous asset classes you can invest your money into – from stocks and bonds to exchange traded funds, mutual funds, gold, art, cryptocurrencies and more.But one of the favourites, particularly in the UAE, is property – mainly because it is a tangible asset. Investing in real estate is sometimes considered a more solid and secure investment, partly because you can actually touch your asset.

But how does a property purchase compare to investments into stocks and bonds over the long term? Should you take on a mortgage? When is the best time to enter the market? And what happens if it all goes wrong?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Dr Michael Waters, an associate professor in real estate at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus, who helps listeners analyse whether property is a sound investment for their future.

How to achieve financial independence by investing on your own

For people new to the world of investing, buying stocks can be a scary concept, particularly during periods of extreme volatility. But according to SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community of personal finance and investing enthusiasts in the UAE, investing does not need to be complex at all. It says the process can actually be quite simple and you can master the basics in a couple of hours. To help residents achieve this, the group has launched its first guide to investing. Called Index Investing & Financial Independence for Expats, Getting Started Guide, it can be downloaded for free from SimplyFI.org or through their Facebook page.

So what does this new guide teach us? How does a passive investment strategy help secure your financial future? And how can we all go about achieving financial independence?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Elie Irani, the guide’s main author and a board member of SimplyFI.org, and Sebastien Aguilar, who founded the group in the UAE.

Getting the best deal on your remittances from the UAE

Sending money to family members in your home country is something many UAE residents do on a regular basis. But as the world struggles with the effects of Covid-19 and some people have lost jobs or experienced a salary cut, actually having the money to transfer is an issue in itself.

With so many of us now focused on keeping costs down, what is the best way to transfer money from the UAE? How do you compare the options available? And how do you negotiate the best rates?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor at The National, is joined by Jean Claude Farah, the president of Western Union’s Global Network.