# How much do you save a year?



## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

We see all the time here about how much saving is a key factor in working here so, anonymous poll, how much do you save a year?

By save I don't mean paying a mortgage in another country, I mean how much do you put somewhere for something (retirement, house purchase, crazy weekend in Mexico City with hookers and coke), in the future.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

12 voters and no comments, you're a secretive lot ain't ya.


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## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

I believe each vote should bump the thread so it doesn't die.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Looking at the poll results so far, it would appear we're quite an affluent lot, add that to the "How much do you earn" poll I posted earlier brings me to a couple of conclusions.

Either:-

a) We're rich.

or 

b) We lie.


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## Bau (Mar 24, 2015)

IMHO you should have set it as a percentage of salary, it would be a bit more relevant


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## Froglet (May 7, 2014)

Bau said:


> IMHO you should have set it as a percentage of salary, it would be a bit more relevant


I think real value as it is now is actually better since it tells you an actual amount.

Imagine someone with an income of 1 million AED annually, and he would save 10%. S/he would still save more than a person who earn 250k and saves 30%... So percentage would not really be very insightful

Ideally there would be two questions:
- How much do you earn? (nominal)
- How much of that do you save? (percentage)

But when answering these questions in a poll, you'd get a strange outcome since the answers to both questions cannot be seen on a per person basis, but rather as one whole. And with that in mind, it would still be quite useless 

Unless of course, there would not be a poll and people would just write it as a post. That would be ideal (and least anonymous)...

Who is still with me? :confused2:


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Froglet said:


> I think real value as it is now is actually better since it tells you an actual amount.
> 
> Imagine someone with an income of 1 million AED annually, and he would save 10%. S/he would still save more than a person who earn 250k and saves 30%... So percentage would not really be very insightful
> 
> ...


Hi,
Sounds a great idea - you go first!
Cheers
Steve


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## Bau (Mar 24, 2015)

Froglet said:


> Ideally there would be two questions:
> - How much do you earn? (nominal)
> - How much of that do you save? (percentage)


Indeed, it would make even more sense .

Just to clarify my comment, it started from the assumption that people with different incomes have different lifestyles. In my opinion, the random Rascal with a yearly income of 1M will spend good part of it on a bunch of toys that the random Steve can't even afford


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Bau said:


> Indeed, it would make even more sense .
> 
> Just to clarify my comment, it started from the assumption that people with different incomes have different lifestyles. In my opinion, the random Rascal with a yearly income of 1M will spend good part of it on a bunch of toys that the random Steve can't even afford


LOL... Actually I'm a total skinflint, hate wasting money so shop in local supermarkets (never Spinneys), clothes are a few years old, haven't been to a brunch since August I think and that was only cos a supplier was paying.

Steve on the other hand, with his mansion in Al Reem, well, what can i say...

As a percentage of my income I probably save 70% (school fees aren't cheap when it comes out of your own pocket), and that townhouse in Islington is winking at me....


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## Hells-Bells (Dec 17, 2014)

The Rascal said:


> Either:-
> 
> a) We're rich.
> 
> ...


Everybody lies... apart from me obviously.:eyebrows:


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## Sootydaz (Dec 29, 2014)

Coke and hookers are a now thing I'm saving for when I am really old......


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

The Rascal said:


> Steve on the other hand, with his mansion in Al Reem, well, what can i say...


I will have you know that our mansion is in Khalifa City - not Al Reem!

We try to send around 30,000 AED back home each month but we like good holidays and dont save quite as much as we should.
We also spend too much annually on flights - example, i went to UK last Thursday and back on Saturday - just to collect a prescription for something we cant get here, Qatar, India, Greece, Thailand or Cambodia (we were on holiday in last two over Easter)
School fees are a real killer - 80,000 per year (excluding lunches, trips etc).
Luckily, we dont have to pay rent - that is taken care of by my wife's job.
Cheers
Steve


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

The Rascal said:


> Looking at the poll results so far, it would appear we're quite an affluent lot, add that to the "How much do you earn" poll I posted earlier brings me to a couple of conclusions.
> 
> Either:-
> 
> ...


It is your range.

Save 100,000 AED a year is about $US 2000 a month, which should be fairly easy.

Thus more people selected that range, it doesn't necessarily mean that all are saving the top end of range value.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

ccr said:


> It is your range.
> 
> Save 100,000 AED a year is about $US 2000 a month, which should be fairly easy.
> 
> Thus more people selected that range, it doesn't necessarily mean that all are saving the top end of range value.


Easy to save $2,000 a month? Really?

I'm sure there are a lot who won't agree.


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## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

ccr said:


> It is your range.
> 
> Save 100,000 AED a year is about $US 2000 a month, which should be fairly easy.
> 
> Thus more people selected that range, it doesn't necessarily mean that all are saving the top end of range value.


Not easy for everyone.

The whole saving thing is variable. Some earn 20K per month and save 10K out of that, some earn 50K and still save hardly 10K as well.

Also, there are people who save 100K every year and never need the money, they just keep it aside, they consider this saving. Others save the same amount to purchase something or plan for a long summer trip and end up with nothing, still they consider they have saved. Some deprive themselves from loads of stuff to save 1 dirham, others can save whilst enjoying to the fullest.


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

ccr said:


> It is your range...


x2... i didn't actually pay too much attention to your range and voted wrong... i thought it was monthly when i voted, and its only later that i realized its for the year... and now i cant change it...

saving 100k plus over the course of a year is not unreasonable, specially for blokes who spend most of their work day on forums...

and saving 250k plus is also not out of reach for some... they become moderators of said forums...


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

If I only save $2,000 USD a month, it's a bad month for me. 

It comes down to priorities. The people who complain they can't save but drive a fancy 4x4 while sneering at the humble Pajero earn no sympathy from me.

It's perfectly doable to have a nice and active life in Dubai without bleeding money every weekend. 





The Rascal said:


> Easy to save $2,000 a month? Really?
> 
> I'm sure there are a lot who won't agree.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

how much I spend on hookers is my business


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

arabianhorse said:


> how much I spend on hookers is my business


I agree, and cost doesn't mean quality does it (As Steve mentioned to me after his trip to Doha)....


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## omrano (Jul 13, 2014)

I guess this poll proves that when we advice new comers that at least 18-20K AED is the minimum for single/couples coming to Dubai to live a nice lifestyle , we have in our mind that at least 30-40% of this salary are considered as savings, and it is actually doable.
Considering this market and the fact that you can become redundant at anytime for whatever reason, hence the need to have savings.
IMHO, we are all here to live nicely , and ofcourse to make money,period.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

The Rascal said:


> I agree, and cost doesn't mean quality does it (As Steve mentioned to me after his trip to Doha)....


Who in their right mind travels to Doha for hookers?

Maybe Doha for work is the only excuse he can get away with from the missus.

I only spend income from other sources on my hookers, so it cant be traced on my credit card statement.

Non UAE income only. I'm not stupid.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

arabianhorse said:


> Who in their right mind travels to Doha for hookers?
> 
> Maybe Doha for work is the only excuse he can get away with from the missus.
> 
> ...


Hookers take credit cards? Wow, what do you do swipe their ass?


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

I'm lucky if I can save AED 2-3k a month never mind USD 2k a month.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

Fat Bhoy Tim said:


> I'm lucky if I can save AED 2-3k a month never mind USD 2k a month.


you sure you're from Scotland ?


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

arabianhorse said:


> you sure you're from Scotland ?


LOL


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

Rascal - you need to up your game mate.


All the good ones take credit card and they dont charge a credit card admin fee


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

arabianhorse said:


> you sure you're from Scotland ?


Believe me, this tight-fisted Scot saves more than people earning double what he does.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

arabianhorse said:


> Rascal - you need to up your game mate.
> 
> All the good ones take credit card and they dont charge a credit card admin fee


I gotta take my hat off to you bud.

So where DO you swipe?


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

I think this got laddish very fast, rein it in guys.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

IzzyBella said:


> I think this got laddish very fast, rein it in guys.


I said that without moving my lips hehe. Thank you Izzy


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

I'm just surprised they've not yet whipped them out to compare sizes.


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

BedouGirl said:


> I said that without moving my lips hehe. Thank you Izzy


Well, I'm not one to be prissy, so when I feel it's gone a bit too far it's probably well over the line of "acceptability" on this forum 



Fat Bhoy Tim said:


> I'm just surprised they've not yet whipped them out to compare sizes.


Well, you first. :tongue1:


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Fat Bhoy Tim said:


> I'm just surprised they've not yet whipped them out to compare sizes.


Nooooooooooo!


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