Laaleen Sukhera works in corporate communications and is the founder of the Dubai-based community platform Social League. The British expat, who had been a regular visitor to Dubai since she was 14, moved to the city almost four years ago. Now, the 48-year-old recalls her financial journey, from being scammed to divorce, to fiscal autonomy.
I’d say, ‘I’m really sorry for taking you for granted and please stop ghosting me!’
How would you describe your relationship to money?
I don’t prioritise money the way I value family, love and health, but it’s definitely missed when I don’t have enough of it.
What lessons about money management did you learn from your mother?
She taught me the importance of family, generosity, and putting education first. We weren’t millionaires, but we didn’t want for anything either. She died young, so I ended up figuring things out for myself.
Who do you speak to about money matters and is it something you consider ‘taboo’?
As a creative, who thinks from her heart, I’ve always found it tacky to obsess about money. Now that I’m the founder of a start-up, my goals have changed and my perspective has broadened and become more pragmatic. I attend managerial workshops and I’m not afraid to ask for advice from experts. I feel that open conversations about finances help us evolve as adults and leaders.
Who has taught you the most about financial management?
The circumstances surrounding my divorce were a transformational lesson in fiscal autonomy. For the past decade, I’ve received next to nothing in terms of child support or alimony. Coupled with exorbitant legal bills, my financial journey has been an uphill one. Today, I can say that I’m facing life’s challenges with dignity and with renewed faith in our creator and the universe.
What has been your most profound experience in relation to money, and what did it teach you?
A reality check at 18 did it for me. I recall one cold, rainy night as a university freshman at an outdoor ATM in Boston. Sobbing and drenched by heavy rain, I discovered my bank account was empty as I hadn’t been keeping track. Amid flashes of lightning, the cash machine dramatically swallowed up my card. It taught me to make backup plans for emergency overspending, which was a start.
How do you think living in the UAE has changed your relationship with wealth?
The UAE has made me believe that everything is possible with an authentic vision and tremendous effort. Residents here aren’t impressed by wealth and beauty, we already see an abundance of it in our daily lives. What we value here are good intentions and decent behaviour.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice , what would it be and why?
Keep track of your accounts, it’ll teach you useful habits for life. And, reign in impulse buying — it just adds clutter to your space and your wallet.
What do you value spending money on?
Investing in experiences and personal growth is more important to me than material possessions — though I do enjoy the occasional lipstick, vintage book, and home décor item. I value travel, education, and creating memories with my daughters.
What do you consider splashing out?
I’ll sign up for nerdy things like writing workshops and indulge my fondness for palace tours and spa massages. Basking in enrichment and quiet luxury is a life well lived.
Do you long-term plan your finances, and if so, how?
My long-term plan is a work in progress, much like the rom-com novel I’m writing — early chapters for both and far to go.
What is your biggest financial regret?
Not saving sooner and saying yes to every credit card company. It’s been very satisfying binning my credit cards this summer. As for loss — well, getting scammed seems to be a rite of passage for newcomers here, and I’m embarrassed to say it happened to me, too. Although devastated at the time, I’ve learned to be wary. The crook was caught and deported but I never got my money back, so I count that as yet another lesson.
