As the economic impact of Covid-19 and subsequent shutdown bites into personal budgets across the world, UAE residents are among the many trimming their living costs.
While some are reacting to salary squeezes or job losses, others have adjusted their spending habits in anticipation of financial migraines ahead.
With the stay-at-home measures now easing across the Emirates, five residents explain how they have cut back on their spending over the past couple of months:
‘We’ve cut our spending by Dh6,000 a month’
When the knock-on effect of movement restrictions designed to curb the spread of the virus reduced their income to one salary, Abu Dhabi residents Emily and Nader Musharbash, from the UK, looked to economise where they could. However, the couple were determined not to let an austerity sweep affect the wellbeing of their child, Tia.
“We had to re-evaluate how much food we buy each week, focusing on our 18-month-old daughter getting better quality food than us,” says Ms Musharbash, 34.
“That’s also meant purchasing less vegan food – we’re not vegan but prefer to avoid dairy products – as it’s more expensive. We’ve obviously stopped going for dinners and lunches, but that has meant we don’t order in either. We also had to temporarily let go of our nanny and hire car.”
‘We’ve cut 70 per cent of our average monthly spend on food and entertaining’
For wedding planner Tania Kreindler most of her business has moved to later in the year and 2021, prompting her and husband Steve, 43, to rethink convenience dining habits.
“We’ve realised how much we spend on takeaways, especially when we are both out at work and meetings all day,” says the 41-year-old.
“We’ve saved on eating out, entertaining friends at home, takeaways and entertaining clients, which has saved us in excess of 70 per cent of our average monthly spend on food and entertaining.”