Hi guys! I’ve got a job offer in Dubai so coming over there sooner than I thought!
I’ll be working in Internet City and living in JLT hopefully and I was hoping to get advise on the best budget shopping ie furniture, food and electronics and activities for a slightly luxorious life ie private gyms and clubs, membership for regular use of hotel beaches ie Al Qasr or Le Meridien.
So I need info on:
Where to buy a car. I don’t need anything big. Originally I wanted a Prado but prices seem expensive so I was thinking a nice golf.
**Hi df!! mashallah many many congratulations on u securing a position out here! UAE welcomes u:wave:.. have a look at these websites.. they may give u some idead about life out here in general.. on the other stuff… theres plenty of UAEtians which will no doubt fill u in! Enjoy!!
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Where to buy a car. I don't need anything big. Originally I wanted a Prado but prices seem expensive so I was thinking a nice golf.
While German carmakers are famous for the quality of their cars and the high level of service they provide in the West, I have to say: The quality of their service over here is pathetic to say the least. I first bought a Mercedes with the level of service back home in Europe in mind. I also own a Nissan now. Believe me: I never had any issue or problem whatsoever with the Nissan Service Center here in Dubai. Whereas the Mercedes Service Center not only charges much more for a "regular service" and for spare parts, they do not seem to take their customer's issues seriously either. And the same is true for BMW and Volkswagen as far as I've heard.
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So far I've got the following:
Asian clothes:
Meena bazaar
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There are other places too, but they are even more congested than the Meena Bazar area. My wife went shopping there a couple of times, but the variety is not that great and most of the time she didn't like the designs on offer. Therefore she mostly gets her clothes made from Pakistan. Living in Dubai it's not really difficult to "hop over" to Lahore for a weekend. :)
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Gyms near JLT:
Fitness first Media City
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That one would be very close to your office and your home (if you end up living in JLT). But I think Fitness First at Ibn Battuta Mall is bigger than the one in Media City. And that's not too far away either.
Btw, JLT is a crap place to live in IMHO.
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Electronics:
Carrefour
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Agreed. We got most of our Household Electronics from there.
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Sim card:
Etisalat Wasel
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I'd rather go for DU Pay as You Go. The rates are the same, but it will end up being cheaper, because Etisalat charges for every minute and DU goes by seconds.
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Bank:
Emirates Bank
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Go for an account at Emirates Islamic Bank (which happens to be a subsidiary of Emirates Bank). I found their Credit Cards to be the best in terms of value for money.
@ poppies- hi love how are you? Thanks for the info. I'm just hoping to be slightly clued up when I hit Dubs (slang word stolen from Dubaiwali lol)
I checked out the aviation club and a polo and horse riding club in ranches so I'm definitely joining those!
I'm so bad I want to go cheap on all the important things like cutlery etc so that I can justify joining an expensive gym ! Dubai is just so tempting.
So poppies looks like our GS meet up will be sooner rather than later, yippie!
@ umer- thank you also for your input. What really stuck out to me is your comment on JLT being a crap area? Me and my partner are only 23. We'll be on a joint income of 80k in pounds a year but we were hoping to save a lot of that as the dream is to buy a lush villa within a year or so. With that in mind we decided a 1bedroom apartment in JLT would be good as its cheap and a few mins drive from work for the both of us. With this in mind is it still not worth living in JLT to save the pennies or is it just really that bad? Photos looked nice! :(
@ poppies- hi love how are you? Thanks for the info. I’m just hoping to be slightly clued up when I hit Dubs (slang word stolen from Dubaiwali lol)
I checked out the aviation club and a polo and horse riding club in ranches so I’m definitely joining those!
I’m so bad I want to go cheap on all the important things like cutlery etc so that I can justify joining an expensive gym ! Dubai is just so tempting.
So poppies looks like our GS meet up will be sooner rather than later, yippie!
WOOP WOOP!!!.. inshallah great news sweets!!!..hey no worries.. we all started that way !!.. just prioritise ur needs.. my word of caution is dont go all on the “high life” as yet.. inshallah establish urself and budget well!! Dubs is a power magnet to ur purse!!. Inshallah hope ur plans and wedding goes well and inshallah will speak soon!! Yallah
Your right about budgeting and although mashallah our salaries are very generous were a young couple who would rather take advantage of that and save for our dream home in half the time than end up having to live in JLT forever because I decided to go horse riding lol
I'm just worried though Usman says its a crap area?
oh sweets:wave:… I think u already have mastered the plan!!!:k:… the climate is rife with spontananeous decisions but the impact does more damage so its good that u plan wisely!!
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Hun thats just Umer’s opinion… I do share with him that its pretty far out of town and whilst it may be down along ur main route of work which I imagine will be SZR.. its a very busy road especially in the mornings as people who live in the Springs/ Emirate Hills and so on commute IN to Dubs…so watch out for traffic build ups!! Its near Ibn Battuta Mall and and Discovery Gardens and Jumeirah Park- that whole area is about a 20 minute drive into Dubs central ( if not more) so think ahead…u just got to do ur homework and read up on as much as u can on Dubs and guppies will help u out as much as they can!!!**
Hope ur not too worried hun.. also keep it real.. ur also getting married .. so enjoy it and plan ahead for ur big move!!!… Take care hun and keep us all updated!!
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sweets:wave:. JLT is in that area- Marina and further down.. i know distances appear short but when ur actually driving at peak time.. u’ll find it pretty congested!!!…but anyway do ur homework:wink:..;)**
kiddahh sweets FT:wave:. yaar yep! I cudnt sleep - Ive got a big PD tomorrow!!!.. u suna ki hoing???
mashallah many many congratulations on u securing a position out here! UAE welcomes u:wave:.. have a look at these websites.. they may give u some idead about life out here in general.. on the other stuff… theres plenty of UAEtians which will no doubt fill u in! Enjoy!!
.. inshallah great news sweets!!!..hey no worries.. we all started that way !!
.. just prioritise ur needs.. my word of caution is dont go all on the “high life” as yet.. inshallah establish urself and budget well!! Dubs is a power magnet to ur purse!!
… Take care hun and keep us all updated!!
.. u suna ki hoing???