‘I started saving at 6’: Dubai expat on learning to value money as a child

‘I started saving at 6’: Dubai expat on learning to value money as a child

Published: Thu 18 Apr 2024, 11:51 PM

Natasha Abbas has been in Dubai for seven years, and says the “extraordinary” journey so far has been “filled with enriching experiences and endless possibilities”. The British civil engineer, who grew up in Kuwait, is the co-founder of North 51, a project management consultancy in Dubai and says the UAE has transformed her relationship with money.

If you had to write a letter to money, what would you say?

I would write a book, not just a letter, and it would be called “Opportunity”, and Chapter 1 will start as follows: Dear Money, I am so grateful for all the ways I got to spend you the past few years. You were an added resource to my life, enriching it in countless ways. With you by my side, I had the privilege of spoiling the most important people in my life and relishing simple joys.

How was your relationship with money formed?

When I was six, I was instilled with a valuable lesson by my aunt. She taught me the importance of saving my weekly pocket money and then splurging on things I wanted either for myself or my family. One memory stands out vividly — saving my