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12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Old Mar 14th 2014, 9:16 pm
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Default 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Hi,

I've tried to search the forums to find the answers my questions - with limited success, as some of the information / discussion is slightly out of date. Apologies if I'm repeating what has already been asked - but I'm assuming your all a friendly bunch on here, as I've been a lurker for a while. UK male, 37 here. Regular follower and visitor to the region.

My wife has been initially offered 12,000 AED per month for a teaching role in Dubai. Accommodation provided. Relocation allowance. Annual flights home. Visa's sorted for us all. Subsidised Health care. School place for our 6yo son. So, the 'usual' package.

I plan to either find work before (if) we relocate, or when we arrive. Few interviews are looming so hopefully beforehand. Typically, the line of work I'm in see's a salary of around 17,000 AED - 24,000 AED per month (pretty much the same as I am on here in the UK) --- I've been offered these figures in the past few years when I've been successful in DXB job hunting (long, convoluted reasons why I didn't accept back then).

My question is - with a relatively "low key" lifestyle - is the minimum 12,000 AED a month OK to live on in Dubai until I secure a job? I know it's a hard question to answer without knowing the nitty gritty details of our lifestyle (eat out a few times a week (our favourite "restaurant" where we live is akin to Ravi's...) , trips / days out here and there, a cheap car, nothing too luxurious, and now the potential show-stopper ~£400 debts per month to pay back in the UK for the next year or so...) - is 12,000 AED going to be enough to "see us through" the first, hopefully, few months until I start earning? Or are we foolish to even contemplate.??

Thanks very much for any help / insights...

Cheers,

Helloworld2014

Last edited by helloworld2014; Mar 14th 2014 at 9:37 pm.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 4:40 am
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

I would say it was doable in a 'batten down the hatches' and live a very austere life kind of way.

Dubai is not a place to live as a Westerner when you have no money. The exchange rate is poor at the minute. You will be looking at aed 2500 for a car (assuming you rent instead of buy), another 2500 to send home to cover your debts, food maybe 1800 a month leaving around 5000 a month for other costs (clothes, toiletries, petrol, eating out, entertaining). If you wanted to fly back to the uk that would be, for the three of you, another 12k a trip.

Personally I think on that wage there is not enough left each month to put aside money for any emergencies you may have.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 4:55 am
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

me too - I don't think it's enough to feel safe, and here in the ME you will always need enough money to get on a flight and leave immediately.

food I would personally say costs around 1000/month/person

I don't think you would be eating out much or going out much

your son will want to do after school activities which start adding up here as well
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 8:16 am
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Hi,

Firstly, many thanks for the honest and frank replies - much appreciated. Clearly, if we want to go for this we need to be realistic and wide eyed about reality.

There maybe, albeit small, a chance to negotiate an improvement on the initial 12k AED a month offer to 12.5k / 13k AED (based on my wife's experience & qualifications).

The move, if we accepted, would take place in August giving us 6 months each to rid ourselves of around £4.5k of debts we have - a realistic possibility if we stuck to a plan.

That being the case and all being well, a 12.5/13k AED month salary in the interim, WITHOUT any UK debts to pay every month - would obviously be much better I guess.......or would it?

The goal is for me to secure a job BEFORE arrival, but I know how sometimes this is not possible - that would improve our situation! I just need to be earning as quick as possible when we land (after all the formalities, NOCs etc). I'm signed up to all the obvious "job sites" online, and scour the websites of the big players in the industry I work in - is there anything else I can do?

Decisions. Dilemmas. I guess moving abroad should not be too easy...

Do we go or stay...

Cheers for any more advice.

Helloworld2014

Last edited by helloworld2014; Mar 15th 2014 at 8:55 am.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 11:15 am
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Only you can judge. If it was me, I'd want a 30k package + housing + schooling + flights + medical to make sure my family had a comfortable life without incurring more debt; to be able to pay for car repairs if I had a 2nd hand car without warranty; after school activities; going to the cinema, etc.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 11:31 am
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Hi,

Thanks - your absolutely right. It's a personal choice / decision.

In the ideal world - I would be earning anything from 17k - 25k AED "within a few months" of landing - so hopefully, fingers crossed, my salary and my wifes would make things a little easier.

It was more a case of - would we be able to survive for a short period of time on 12/13k AED a month - not would we be able to live for 1/2 years on this.

It all comes down to me securing a job - as I suspected. It was much easier for my wife to secure a position first, as being a teacher there is a very small window when vacancies arise - and obviously "the added benefit" of 100% school fees being paid which comes with her position (no guarantees I would get this if I were to get a job first and be her sponsor) is also a factor.

Thanks again - much appreciated

helloworld2014
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 12:26 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

if you get a job all will be fine and comfortable. If you don't life will be shite. Only you can decide if that risk is worth taking.

What do you do?
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 12:40 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

That is the million dollar question. What do we do?

I'm not under any illusions that life in the UAE, more specifically Dubai, will all be fine and dandy, or that is a paradise of sunshine and endless brunches nowadays (not that it ever was), or that it will be the same as when we have visited there in the past. Nor are we blind enough to see that it would not bring its own strife and bother, of which we probably cant even contemplate (although we have tried!). But, there are a substantial number of reasons why we want to give it a go......but obviously without jumping into the abyss with no exit strategy, and without needlessly throwing 'everything' away. Life is about taking (calculated) risks - so I guess it needs more consideration on our behalf.

Stay put - everything will be fine. Go - everything might go belly up. Stay put - we'll never know, what if. Go - everything works out. Do we turn left, or do we turn right? I think I need a map.

Thanks for your thoughts, from those who have made the small/big leap in the past..

Cheers,

Helloworld2014
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 1:36 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Originally Posted by helloworld2014
That is the million dollar question. What do we do?

I'm not under any illusions that life in the UAE, more specifically Dubai, will all be fine and dandy, or that is a paradise of sunshine and endless brunches nowadays (not that it ever was), or that it will be the same as when we have visited there in the past. Nor are we blind enough to see that it would not bring its own strife and bother, of which we probably cant even contemplate (although we have tried!). But, there are a substantial number of reasons why we want to give it a go......but obviously without jumping into the abyss with no exit strategy, and without needlessly throwing 'everything' away. Life is about taking (calculated) risks - so I guess it needs more consideration on our behalf.

Stay put - everything will be fine. Go - everything might go belly up. Stay put - we'll never know, what if. Go - everything works out. Do we turn left, or do we turn right? I think I need a map.

Thanks for your thoughts, from those who have made the small/big leap in the past..

Cheers,

Helloworld2014
Only you can make a proper decision on what to do. On here you (usually) get fairly helpful advice, but nearly all of us who've been in the middle east have had to make a 'do we?/don't we?' decision.

One thing to remember: The saddest words in the world are "What if we had have?"
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 1:55 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Again --- words of wisdom!

I'm very much a person who thinks like that. Dont have regrets, don't put off things because everything is not "perfect" or all eventualities are not catered for (as it never will be). I'm not saying the move is the only important decision we've ever had to make, or will have to make in the future, but it certainly is a big one.

And to quote the much cited Sterling Hayden:

-- "The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.

Where, then, lies the answer?
In choice.
Which shall it be – bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?" ---

Thanks to all in helping us unravel our little dilemma. It is really much appreciated.

Helloworld2014

Last edited by helloworld2014; Mar 15th 2014 at 2:01 pm.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 3:17 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Hi mate,

I'm in a similar boat - wife has just been offered a 15,000AED teaching position in Abu Dhabi, free furnished accomodation, flights etc. We pushed for more but were told that the payscales are set.

We've accepted, in full knowledge that as Millhouse says, life will be a bit shite until I get a job. Ideally I'd get a job before we arrive in August, but if it takes a few months of being on the ground so be it. If I get nothing after 6+ months we'll have to decide whether to bail and chalk it up as a life experience.

Bottom line for us was that we'll never know unless we try.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 3:20 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Originally Posted by driftingaway
Hi mate,

I'm in a similar boat - wife has just been offered a 15,000AED teaching position in Abu Dhabi, free furnished accomodation, flights etc. We pushed for more but were told that the payscales are set.

We've accepted, in full knowledge that as Millhouse says, life will be a bit shite until I get a job. Ideally I'd get a job before we arrive in August, but if it takes a few months of being on the ground so be it. If I get nothing after 6+ months we'll have to decide whether to bail and chalk it up as a life experience.

Bottom line for us was that we'll never know unless we try.
which sch? 15k is pretty good for auh and all the bills/school fees etc are usually included which is the big costs each month. that will be fine. with teaching there isnt much wiggle room you either take it or leave it etc. you are better trying to find a job here face to face but it may well take time. depending on the sch job as some really look after you, and as long as you dont have to spend much in commuting etc then you will be ok.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 3:21 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

just remember tho you will be taxed if you return within a certain time scale, ie it used to be a full tax year etc but rules have recently changed.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 3:23 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

Originally Posted by helloworld2014
Hi,

Thanks - your absolutely right. It's a personal choice / decision.

In the ideal world - I would be earning anything from 17k - 25k AED "within a few months" of landing - so hopefully, fingers crossed, my salary and my wifes would make things a little easier.

It was more a case of - would we be able to survive for a short period of time on 12/13k AED a month - not would we be able to live for 1/2 years on this.

It all comes down to me securing a job - as I suspected. It was much easier for my wife to secure a position first, as being a teacher there is a very small window when vacancies arise - and obviously "the added benefit" of 100% school fees being paid which comes with her position (no guarantees I would get this if I were to get a job first and be her sponsor) is also a factor.

Thanks again - much appreciated

helloworld2014
remember that certain professionals can sponsor as a woman, and teacher being one of them, but be aware that i know in auh if you both work for the same place/education etc they will not double up on the allowances etc, if you work for different thats different etc.
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Old Mar 15th 2014, 3:30 pm
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Default Re: 12,000 AED - enough? Wife, and one child?

to the original poster I would say go for it, your wife will need you to be at home for a few months until she gets her bearings and gets settled into the school. You have nothing to pay out of that 12k apart from your debts back home, I am pretty sure you can manage. What line of work are you in?
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