As the month of fasting is fast approaching, people are scratching their heads to figure out how to save money this Ramadan in Dubai. How to skimp on expenses and still make the most of this month full of festivities, celebration, and togetherness? From what we have seen over the years, the monthly expenses shoot up during the holier month.
Hoarding on groceries, planning Ramadan Iftar parties, eating out at Suhoor, and shopping for Eid make people live beyond their means and breaks the bank for many.
Ramadan in Dubai: How to Save Money?
A lot of peeps in Dubai feel financially drained during the month of Ramadan. Despite eateries, retailers, and hypermarkets launching exclusive Ramadan deals, people still feel their budgets going out of their way. But of course, it shouldn’t have to be this way.
Here are some handy tips to help you plan and budget for the month of festivities and blessings and enjoy it to the fullest whilst it lasts.
Smart Tips to Save Money This Ramadan in Dubai
- Plan Pot Luck or One-Dish Parties
- Avoid Shopping before Breaking the Fast
- Avail of Exclusive Ramadan Deals and Offers
- Check out the Lower Shelves at Hypermarkets
- Shop in Bulk
- Buy Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
Let’s dig into the details to see how you can save money during Ramadan.
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Plan Pot Luck or One-Dish Parties
When planning gatherings and parties for suhoor or iftar, instead of going all out, discuss and ask each person or family participating in the event to bring some eatables along. Sharing food on the table where no single person had to bear the cost of the food single-handedly doubles the joy.
Planning parties mutually take the financial burden off the shoulder and is a great way to gather and rejoice. Everyone can save money this way and still enjoy the festivities and holy spirit of Ramadan in Dubai.
Guests can either prepare the food at home or parcel food from a restaurant. You can also pool in money and get the food delivered via <ahref=”https://www.talabat.com/uae”>Talabat, Noon Now, or Deliveroo. Both food delivery apps offer exclusive discounts, especially during Ramadan in Dubai with free deliveries and deals on top restaurants and cafes.
Let your guests participate equally in Ramadan Iftar dinners and Suhoor meals this year and experience the blessings of the holier month without having to spend an arm or a leg. The concept may be hard to digest for many but great things are always hard at firstJ. After all, sharing is caring!
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Avoid Shopping before Breaking the Fast
This tip isn’t specifically for saving money in Ramadan but is applicable also when buying everyday groceries and food essentials. We tend to buy more food when we are hungry. Going grocery on an empty stomach tempts you into buying more food as you are just looking around to fill in your tummy.
It’s recommended to never go grocery shopping when fasting during Ramadan in Dubai. You will be spoilt for choice with the amazing deals and offers and you will for sure spend a little too much.
It has been seen that people buy more food during the day while fasting. So if you fear you are going to burn a hole in your wallet this season, avoid going to malls during the day and keep grocery shopping visits for the evening, after breaking the fast. It will be more convenient as you will be high on energy and more alert to manage your budget wisely.
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Avail of Exclusive Ramadan Deals and Offers
Ramadan in Dubai is all about exclusive deals and offers on food, groceries, apparel, furniture, electronics, home appliances, beauty products, and almost everything under the sun. You are most likely to be blown away by the discounts being offered at retail outlets and hypermarkets, especially Carrefour and LULU. A lot of online retail giants including Amazon and Noon also launch Ramadan special deals to facilitate customers in saving money.
Avail of these exclusive offers and shop on a budget. But make sure you are not overspending and purchasing things that would otherwise cost you more. It rains discounts and deals in Dubai during Ramadan, so keep an eye on all the latest price drops and deals to save up big this festive season.
Here is an interesting 5-minute read on saving on groceries in UAE that you may check out to save money while shopping for monthly essentials.
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Check out the Lower Shelves at Hypermarkets
Hypermarkets and grocery stores often place the cheapest items on the lower shelves. This is done merely to trick people into buying expensive things as most customers tend to buy things that they see first at eye level. So do check out the lowest shelves the next time you go out grocery shopping during Ramadan.
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Shop in Bulk
Economy packs and bulk deals often cost less and help in saving money. When talking about Ramadan, you can buy in bulk things that you think will be most needed during the month. Cold drinks, snacks, milk packs, rice, fruit lentils, and cooking oil are items that are most commonly bought during Ramadan in Dubai.
To save money, buy items in bulk and store things so you do not have to step out time and again for buying groceries while fasting.
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Buy Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
The best way to save money on groceries and food during Ramadan is to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables. Fresh seasonal produce is generally affordable and wouldn’t take a toll on your monthly expenses.
Look for items that are in season and plan your meals accordingly. Avoid buying expensive fruits and vegetables and prefer items that are cheap, fresh, and in season.
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Final Word
Ramadan is that time of the year when Muslims and Non-Muslims alike are motivated and encouraged to be generous and philanthropic. People spend scores of their money on charity, welfare acts, and helping the needy and deserving during Ramadan in Dubai. However, sometimes people spend a bit over the odds and feel down and out. It’s quite natural to overspend in an atmosphere where everyone seems to shell out money with bated breath.
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So better stick to your budget, plan your meals ahead of time, shop for groceries in bulk before the commencement of the holy month, and keep things simple to save money and enjoy the festivities at the same time.