It pays to downsize your home (December 17) contains some good advice.
The American influence is seen here in the food culture and in the size of homes. A family of four in Europe lives happily in 80 square metres of space; here people are unhappy with 200 square metres
These spaces need to be cooled and cleaned, and all the extra space adds to the rental bill.
As always, the problem for many people is budgeting. You can’t know how much you can spend until you work out how much you need to save.
Many people dream of having a castle, then get stuck with it for a year after they discover they can’t afford it.
G Vidale, Dubai
It is better for some expatriates to send their families back home and then save money for their future rather than waste it on rent.
Asif Shaikh, Pakistan
All cars will be electric soon
It was interesting to read The future of driving? Living with two electric cars in the UAE for a week (December 15).
I think that many countries will be petrol-free by 2020. Many European countries already have charging stations at regular intervals.
We need to take more steps to protect our environment. Why don’t we ban all cars with engines bigger than two litres?
Name withheld by request
Not ready for Prime time
I refer to your editorial, Ready for Amazon Prime? (December 18).
There are only about 12 shows you can legally watch in the UAE on Amazon Prime here. It’s not worth it.
C Page, Dubai
I don’t think it is worth paying for any television stations, because the shows are all the same and they are full of commercials.
Name withheld by request
Yoga poses may help relieve pain
Thank you for your article Back pain: causes, effects and solutions (December 11).
Yoga has some postures that are really beneficial for getting relief from back pain.
Postures such as the bow pose, camel pose, back bending, warrior pose, Lord Shiva’s pose, savasana and the half-moon pose can increase the blood circulation and can make the back more flexible.
These postures stretch the spine and keep it flexible and strong, allowing you to get relief from back pain.
N Roque, Costa Rica
Debtors must pay the price
In regard to UAE legal Q&As: Can I be extradited to UAE over unpaid credit card debt? (December 18), this person should be brought back and made to pay.
Why should the rest of us do the right thing while these people get off scot-free because they “do a runner”, as we say in the United Kingdom?
They lived the life of excess and they should pay for it.
Tanya Milbourne, Abu Dhabi
Kindness can hurt children
Thank you very much for the article in your Money section, Your greatest gift is to empower your child (December 17). It really did hit the bullseye, and I hope your readers picked up some of the advice.
This is a serious problem for wealthy families who simply give money to their children. Parents sometimes don’t know the serious harm they can do to their children in the name of love.
J Asiimwe, Dubai
Sometimes the price isn’t right
I have discovered a disturbing trend at some supermarkets in Dubai. On several occasions, the price marked on the shelf has differed from the price when the item is scanned by the cashier – and the price at the checkout is always higher.
I can understand the occasional mistake, but the frequency of these errors has increased.
On the most recent occasion, one item was 40 per cent higher and another was 30 per cent higher. I returned to the establishment in question and complained. The manager took the price tickets off the shelf, scanned the bar codes and, sure enough, the prices generated by the bar codes differed from the price marked on the ticket.
I made similar checks at three different establishments. JPW, Dubai
