Controlling impulses key to saving money

A reader says we can save money if spend according to our income. Other topics: films, NYU conference

A reader says we can save money if we cut down on unnecessary spending. Silvia Razgova / The National

With reference to the article NRI's prudent example (January 24), every person in the UAE should have a monthly budget that will help them control their expenses.

People often have no idea where their money goes. That is because they do not think before spending. You can save money if you spend consciously and do not just buy impulsively. For that, you would need discipline and motivation.

We must be aware that our salaries are not increasing in tandem with the rising cost of living. The majority of us in the UAE don’t earn a huge salary, which makes saving difficult. But it’s possible if you spend prudently and cut down on unnecessary expenses.

For instance, if you fly out every two weeks, you can’t expect to save anything. The key is to resist temptations and avoid extravagance.

If you really want to save, you should stop competing with others. Be proud of what you have and you will be able to save not just in the UAE but anywhere in the world.

Mathew Litty, Dubai

I recall an earlier report that expatriates from different parts of the world struggle to manage their income in the UAE in an effective way. For those who can’t save, this article clearly shows how one should save – follow the example of Indian expatriates. We Indians realise the value of money especially when we go home during holidays and spend from our savings.

Ramachandran Nair, Oman

How do we judge a film?

Sharif Nashashibi's comments on the film American Sniper (Is American Sniper a big US hit because it takes down Arabs? January 24) raise an interesting point: can we evaluate films solely on their artistic and technical merits irrespective of their ideology?

History has shown that with the passage of time movies are ultimately judged purely on their cinematic values. Birth of a Nation and Triumph of the Will glorified the Ku Klux Klan and Hitler respectively. They must have horrified blacks and Jews and disgusted the average moviegoing public at the time. Now though, they are both regarded as cinematic masterpieces. History will probably judge American Sniper just as a competently made film, no more and no less.

Ali Moosavi, Dubai

Sharif Nashashibi was very persuasive in his commentary and made many valid points.

However, I wonder if there is a double irony at play here. Thoughtful, educated people of Anglo heritage did not think that The Hurt Locker was a “gung-ho”, “support our troops” film at all. Instead, they felt that it portrayed the ignorance, fear, unpreparedness and lack of training that many US troops have when entering conflict zones they know little about. Indeed, they felt that it painted the US troops in very bad light. Of course this irony is lost to many – not just to those of non-Anglo heritage, but also to Anglo undereducated racist-types. So therein lies the risk with these sorts of films.

I would like to know what Clint Eastwood’s intentions were and also would be interested to hear George Clooney’s views about it.

Maggie Hannan, Abu Dhabi

Report missed a crucial point

After attending Jane Goodall's truly inspirational lecture at NYU Abu Dhabi on January 20th, I was dismayed to read the coverage of the event in The National (Jane Goodall praises UAE conservation efforts, January 22). Instead of focusing on Dr Goodall's lifetime of conservation work, her remarkable contributions to the field of science and her hopes for the future of our planet, the lead to the article focuses on a very local issue –bringing in elephants from Zimbabwe – not even remotely discussed in the lecture.

It is quite clear from Dr Goodall’s quote regarding the elephant transfer – “Elephants are being killed in their native country. These ones were in captivity. It sounds like a really nice enclosure ... As it’s a family group, I think it’s OK.” – that she was asked to speak authoritatively on a subject that she has not been previously involved with and which is entirely unrelated to the purpose of her visit to the UAE. While I appreciate The National’s quest to localise issues and tailor them to the local readership, please, when covering such events, ensure that your coverage offers accurate, unbiased reporting.

Judita Eisenberger, Abu Dhabi