Deals, garage sales: UAE residents save thousands of dirhams with help of online groups

Deals, garage sales: UAE residents save thousands of dirhams with help of online groups

UAE - When he read about a warehouse sale on a Facebook group, Dubai resident Adil Ahmed was looking to buy household gadgets. “I decided to check it out; it was a lifesaver,” he said. “It saved me at least Dh3,000 on all the things I had to buy.” The expat is one of the thousands of social media users who join groups or follow accounts that help them find good discounts and deals. One of the most popular such groups is Dirham Stretcher. Run by Selma and Susan, the group has close to 100,000 members who exchange information about various economic finds around the country. Looking for a good bargain Selma, who hails from Tunisia and Germany, joined the Dirham Stretcher while it was still a small community group run by a friend. “When my friend was leaving the country, she asked me to take over the group,” she said. “At the time, I posted a comment asking for volunteers to help me, and Susan came forward. This was a turning point for us.” Susan, who came to Dubai from Australia, always had an eye for good bargains and deals. “It came naturally to me,” she said. “Back home