About Me

Why I Started This Site

I'm Daniel, a 34-year-old IT consultant who relocated to Dubai from Manchester in late 2020. Like many expats, I arrived with excitement about tax-free income and quickly discovered that UAE banking has its own learning curve.

My first year here cost me money. Not through poor investments or bad luck, but through simple ignorance about how UAE credit cards actually work. I chose cards based on marketing claims, missed out on rewards due to caps I didn't understand, and generally made every mistake a newcomer could make.

By my second year, I'd developed a habit of tracking every transaction and cashback credit in spreadsheets. Friends started asking me for card recommendations. Then colleagues. Then people I'd never met who were referred by friends of friends.

What This Site Is (And Isn't)

This site is my attempt to share what I've learned without the marketing spin that bank websites provide. Everything here comes from actual usage, real transaction data, and genuine opinions formed over years of daily card use.

What this site isn't: sponsored content, affiliate marketing, or professional financial advice. I don't receive compensation from any bank mentioned. When I recommend a card, it's because I personally use it and have the numbers to back up why.

I'm not a financial advisor. I hold a computer science degree and work in IT infrastructure. My qualifications for writing about cashback cards are purely experiential: I use them daily, I track everything obsessively, and I've made enough mistakes to know what to avoid.

My Background

Before Dubai, I spent eight years working in London's financial district, ironically implementing systems for banks while having no particular interest in personal finance. The move to UAE changed that perspective.

Living in a country with no income tax but high cost of living creates a different relationship with money. Every dirham saved through smarter card usage adds up. What started as basic curiosity became a genuine interest in understanding how to optimize daily spending.

Outside of work and finance tracking, I spend weekends exploring UAE's less touristy spots, maintaining a mediocre golf handicap at Arabian Ranches, and attempting to convince my Labrador that the Dubai summer heat is perfectly normal.

My Approach to Reviews

I believe in transparency, which is why every review on this site includes specific numbers: total spending, actual cashback received, effective percentage rates. Vague claims like "great rewards" mean nothing without data.

I also believe in updating content. UAE banks change their terms frequently. A review from 2023 might be completely wrong by 2025. I try to revisit and update articles whenever I notice term changes or when my experience with a product evolves.

If you spot something outdated or have a different experience to share, I genuinely want to hear about it. This site improves when readers contribute their perspectives.

Get In Touch

I respond to every genuine question sent through the contact form. Whether you're a new expat trying to choose your first UAE card, or a long-time resident wanting to compare notes, I'm happy to share what I know.

Just please understand I can't provide personalized financial advice. What works for my spending patterns might not work for yours. But I can point you toward the right questions to ask and the fine print to read.