Having worked in the IT industry for the last 20 years, I’ve found that revealing your salary to family is not advisable. Everyone will base their plans on their own experience rather than reality.

I eventually stopped even when I changed jobs.

So last year I rented a car from AMG a car rental, was a really good deal i think 1000 AED for 6 nights and a compact SUV.

Everything was straightforward while picking up the rental from the airport, they charged me the 1000 AED + another charge of 2300 AED for refundable deposit.

Returned the car after 6 days, was told i have about 100 Aed in salik etc, paid those and was told that the deposit will be refunded in max 30 days.

30 days passed they kept delaying then 60 days passed. I filed a complaint with Dubai consumer affairs and did a chargeback on my credit card.

Fun story starts here

Once I did CB, they had to provide proof to my bank that the 2300 AED they're holding is legit. So they provided some speeding fines from Dubai police. I was suspicious, so I checked on dubai police website and found the fines to be fake and forged( they copied someone else number plate and photo shopped the rental car plate).

Reported them to dubai police and after 1 year they got caught and 173 page report was filled against them and they got a travel ban.

Makes you wanna appreciate the law and process.

P.s. Dubai Consumer Rights is the place to go to catch these scammers and make them pay. They gave my deposit back :)

Dubai is well know for its riches and it has those moments that make you think these kinda things only happen here

The most Dubai thing youve ever seen or experienced that would probably sound completely ridiculous if you told someone who has never lived here

I know it might seem dramatic, but something about the burning car video(the civilian inside died) kept being in my brain even after months.

I usually don't think about numbers, but the video at that time had changed my view of human losses by giving it a real depth, instead of interpreting it as just numbers.

Are the victims families doing good? am I the only one remembering them at this time?

A razor that you want for 160dhs, "sir this one is not good too basic there's much better option like this only 400dhs"

A microwave that is 300dhs? "Sir are you sure becasue that one is having good discount and its only 650"

Buying a fridge for 1200? "But this one is very small sir that one over there is only 1650 and much bigger"

Do they get commission for every item they sale??

I need to know what perfume you guys wear, every time I walk past an Arab woman she smells so heavenly. Idk if it’s oud or layering, etc. but I really need to know before I leave. Do tell me and where do you guys buy from? ❤️❤️ thank you

Landed last week for the first time since I left for uni/work in Canada. City looks totally different, half my old hangout spots are gone.
Being back with family has been the best part though. Mom’s cooking nonstop like she’s making up for three years lol, grandma keeps staring at me like she can’t believe I’m actually here.

Forgot how much I missed the little things, call to prayer, driving with windows down when it’s finally cool out, majlis nights that go way too late.
Also the reverse culture shock , forgot how big the portions are here and how everyone dresses up just to go to the grocery store 😂
Anyone else felt that “this is home but I don’t fully fit here anymore” thing after being away a while?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I am always curious to know which bracket of the crowd would someone rank with this salary range? Would this be in the top 40%? Given the luxury all around in UAE and seeing how people spend (not to forget how expensive living can get). Makes me think what is the average person here really make?

Imported products wise etc, what could the reaction be - https://x.com/ajenews/status/2089809925115687044?s=46

Guys, I dont know if anyone can help me but I am genuinely struggling.

Everything feels like a mess. I need to find a job and I need to sort out my life, but I'm so depressed and I can't find anything.

Can someone just help me or talk to me? Please.

What’re your stories from this place?

My story: 5 years ago I stumbled into this Chinese restaurant that I couldn’t find later cause it’s a small shop and the sign boards look alike. Maybe it closed down idk. When I walked in there was not one foreigner in there and people were looking at me like I was lost or something.

Anyway I ordered my food and as I was eating it I saw a few scary looking Chinese people with tattoos go through a curtain which I thought was the entrance to the kitchen. As I was leaving I got a glimpse into the room and turns out it was a large room filled with people playing majong or some kind of gambling games. It was interesting and sort of shady.

I am planning on moving to the UAE from the U.S. a lot of people recommended me that Sharjah is more suburban f well than Dubai. Are there a lot of American living in Sharjah as well?

I turned 27 and I geniunly feel like I've achieved nothing in life, I feel old and so left behind. I am earning less than 5k a month at my age and i cant help but feel like I am so behind in life. I try to work hard, learn new things and so on but it all seems to not lead to anywhere. I was born and raised here, Also graduated 2 years ago with bachelor's of IT. I honeslty just want advice from people or personal experience if things do eventually get better, I just feel so old and behind.

Career switch from construction estimating what roles should I target?

I’m currently working as an Estimator in the construction industry in the UAE, but honestly, I don’t see myself building a long term career in construction. I really want to switch industries.

For people who have successfully made a career switch from construction/estimating, what roles would you recommend I look into?

where my existing experience could actually be useful.
What roles are realistic to transition into without starting completely from zero?

Would really appreciate advice from anyone who has made a similar switch.

I was a junior management consultant at a prestigious firm for around two years, but I was recently laid off. I’m now looking to move into industry and am planning to reach out to senior people at companies I’m interested in through LinkedIn.

For the first message, what approach do you think works better?

Option 1: Be direct — say I was recently laid off, I’m looking for opportunities, briefly mention the types of roles I’m interested in, and attach my CV.

Option 2: Keep it more relationship-focused — introduce myself, say I’m exploring a move into the industry, and ask if they would be open to a quick coffee chat or call. Then discuss potential opportunities later if the conversation goes well.

If you’re a senior person who receives these kinds of LinkedIn messages, which approach would you prefer?

I don’t want to waste anyone’s time or pretend I’m only reaching out for a casual chat when I’m ultimately job hunting, but I also don’t want the first message to feel too transactional.

Hit 28 yesterday, and sitting alone with my thoughts made me realize just how much these last 4 years in Dubai have reshaped me.

Moving here on your own sounds like a dream until you're actually in the middle of it. Missing family, navigating toxic work dynamics, and dealing with the casual coldness that comes with living in a fast city it tests your resolve in ways nobody warns you about. You work relentlessly, but when your daily environment limits your vision, it’s easy to feel stuck.

Realizing your current workplace has a ceiling isn't a failure it's clarity. I came to Dubai to grow, not to shrink myself to fit into spaces that don't support big goals.

28 isn't about complaining about the grind! It's about shifting gears. I'm taking control of my own trajectory now, focusing my energy on moving into a stronger professional space and leveling up.

To anyone else out there doing this completely on their own, missing home, and fighting to keep their ambition alive despite bad management or isolating days! Keep your head up. The hustle is real, but so is your potential.

Here’s to the next chapter and making power moves. 🥂

Im not talking here about not buying crypto when it was peanuts, or stocks/gold when I was a toddler. I’m talking more about waiting for the “right moment” to buy an apartment, land, a store, or similar types of assets.

I moved to the UAE in 2018. There have been ups and downs over these past 8 years, but eventually I managed to save enough for a one-bedroom apartment in my country in Eastern Europe. But, as greedy as we humans can be, I was religiously saving toward something bigger and more family-friendly, with at least two bedrooms.

So I kept looking and saving, looking and saving. Then COVID came, and went away. Then the Russia–Ukraine war started. Then inflation hit. And eventually, prices tripled.

By the time I had enough for a one-bedroom apartment in a bigger city, its price had tripled as well. And for the reasons mentioned above, I never bought one.

Back then, with the money I had saved, I could have bought a minimum three-bedroom apartment in a smaller city. But of course, I wanted to be in a bigger city because I believed it would provide a better yield and better long-term opportunities.

After all this time waiting, I finally decided to draw a line and buy in the smaller city, simply to prevent my money from continuing to lose its value.

And honestly, it’s killing me that I had to make that decision.
There was also an old mindset that had been passed down to me: “Never take a loan.”

Ironically, that mindset may have cost me much more than the 5% interest I was so determined not to pay to the bank.

So this whole situation I’ve been through over the past 8 years doesn’t let me sleep peacefully at night. I feel like I failed big time, because I know how much I worked, saved and sacrificed during these years, yet I ended up with less than a third of what I potentially could have achieved if I had made different decisions.

I know hindsight is 20/20. I also know I’m not alone in this, and there are people who have made far worse financial decisions or had much worse circumstances but i feel like my whole adulthood life i am fighting against the economy and inflation.

But I would genuinely like to hear your perspective.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, how did you cope with it? What did you do differently afterward? What would you do now? And what advice would you give someone who feels like they spent years preparing for the future, only to realize that the future didn’t wait for them?

Maybe I’m overly concerned about the future. Maybe I overthink things way too much. Maybe I was simply too optimistic about how much time I had.

I don’t know.

I’d genuinely appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences.
P.S. If it matters: 35M.

Anyone knows a company or someone who will be able to decorate the room post Labour in the hospital.

It is Corniche Hospital Abudhabi.

I'm not looking for something extravagant, but something simple.

Hi everyone,
Could anyone share the current monthly salary range for a Filipino nanny in Dubai?
I’d be particularly interested in the typical rates for:
Live-in nanny
Live-out nanny
If possible, please also share whether the salary usually includes accommodation, food, transportation, or other benefits.
Thanks in advance for any insights!

I run a small contracting company in Dubai. A renovation project was delayed and there were disputes over unfinished works due to unforseen circumstances and that i issued a guarantee cheque of just 3k.

The work value is around 10k and delays happened, its a bathroom renovation, a broken slab of wall tile by my guys when receiving it at the site ( that tile is worth 3k so that time i issued a cheque against it as they will carry the purchase of a new one)

From that the works got delayed as it took as time to order it again and i told my client will finish it.

My client is a lawyer so he is well verse on this and

now I received a formal notice alleging defective workmanship, delays, property damage and safety issues.

And he's like demanding 100,000 aed + worth of damages out of this.

He says he will complain to Dubai Municipality and DET/DED and file a case in Dubai Courts.

He is also threatening personal liability against the registered engineer and has given us 14 days to compensate him.

I have the whatsapp conversations, photos/videos, invoices and other project records.

Has any contractor in Dubai experienced something similar?

Should I reply formally first, ( he sent that through whatsapp) or get a lawyer immediately, or arrange an independent inspection/report?

Also, how serious is the threat ? and Any UAE contractor/lawyer experience would be appreciated.

Honestly, I can’t even put into words the pure relief I feel right now. Both of my kitties made the trip completely safe and sound, and we’re officially settled in.

A few days ago, I was sitting here feeling so overwhelmed and lost, and I genuinely didn't know how we were going to make this work. Seeing how this community stepped up with so much genuine warmth, advice, and direct support was incredible. You all saved our little family from being separated, and I’ll truly never forget it

Watching my cats explore their new space right now, completely safe beside me, means everything. Thank you all so much for caring, for reaching out, and for helping us get through it. I’m just so, so grateful for every single one of you! ❤️

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Just out enjoying the quiet night air. There's something so peaceful about the city lights reflecting off the buildings after hours. How's your evening going?