Finance deals of the week in the UAE

This week's noteworthy deals are from Emirates Islamic Bank and Al Ansari Exchange.

Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) has launched its Payroll Card to help business clients pay lower-income staff without bank accounts.

The MasterCard debit card, available to companies with payroll packages at the bank, can be used to pay employees earning Dh3,000 or less.

EIB says the concept is a more secure electronic salary management system.

Employees who use the card, embedded with chip-and-pin technology, can make free cash withdrawals from any of the 800 EIB or Emirates NBD cash machines in the UAE.

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EIB is also offering customers deals on all its debit and credit cards to help them to maximise the summer break.

The bank has tied up with the travel companies Cleartrip.ae, MakeMyTrip.ae and SNTTA to offer discounts on flights and hotels and with retailers.

Those booking with cleartrip.ae, for example, will receive a Dh100 discount per booking, rewarding customers with up to Dh600 for five or more tickets booked. Customers booking through the website will also receive Dh400 off hotel bookings and Visa cardholders can take advantage of a 15 per cent discount for bookings with HotelClub.com.

Those travelling overseas will also receive 10 per cent cash back on international dining when they use their EIB card.

"With the summer season upon us, people have already started planning their holidays. We are delighted to offer them exclusive deals on their bookings, shopping as well as spending abroad," says EIB's Faisal Aqil.

Any new EIB customers signing up a for credit or debit card will also receive Dh200 in vouchers from Cleartrip.ae.

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Al Ansari Exchange is giving away Dh2 million in prizes plus 10 new cars this summer.

Two hundred customers will win cash prizes of Dh10,000 each in the Al Ansari Rewards - Summer Promotion programme. Ten more will drive away in a new Peugeot 301.

Customers automatically qualify for the raffle draw with each transaction they make at the exchange house including bill payments, investment and savings schemes and remittances.

Those carrying out Worldwide Cash Express transactions will qualify as double entries, giving customers more chances to win.

"For the upcoming summer promotion, we are anticipating a greater number of entries given the overall increase in remittance transactions in recent months," says Rashed Ali Al Ansari, the general manager.

The promotion runs to August 31 with a grand draw on September 3.