1. shopping
2. gifts

Gulf Daily News Tuesday, 23rd December 2014
n Expatriates have
to plan for their
future as most
companies offer no
pension or security
post retirement
Later, it turns
into a challenge
as well.
Income of an
expatriate has
to be divided
into three – one
portion to spend
for living here,
one portion to
be sent home to take care of their parents
or family left behind, and the third goes
into future planning – as most of them have
pension-less jobs offering no security post
retirement.
So the direct conversion of dinars into
home currency might have created an excitement, but when the same gets divided into
three portions, it makes you blink at the stark
reality. One has to lead a below average life
here to save for the other two portions.
The income tax-free package too turns
out to be an illusion as huge expenses are
29
30
31
ACROSS
Our love? Only for half a day (5)
Making a stink about being broke? (5)
Card game associated with bridge (7)
In Siena, it’s known for its seed (5)
The pride of rugby? (5)
Not exactly cubic measure (5)
Would he be short of a title if he lost one? (7)
Supplied from the café down the road (3)
One island said to be eight (4)
Garment; possibly mink, with circles (6)
Be inclined to take the mislaid part on trust (5)
Immediately make a poor performance outside
the theatre (6)
Clean up badly again (4)
One of eight in a row? (3)
Happy to see a learner relaxed after a poor start
(7)
Like the change in your pocket (5)
Take off for an excursion to the heart of
Hampshire (5)
Like one’s rights in the use of Roman numerals
(5)
Tiresome fellow with evidence of debt (7)
Was lazy, but maybe did about half a mile (5)
A rogue with taking ways (5)
2
3
4
DOWN
Weekly letter to a wandering nomad (6)
To push for an outcome (6)
Hard or soft, it’s fishy (3)
1
6
9
10
11
12
13
15
17
18
19
20
22
24
25
26
27
28
5
6
7
8
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
21
22
23
25
26
28
involved in annual travel back home and
buying gifts for near and dear ones.
Insurance, investments in mutual funds, equities or properties, home loan, personal loan
and equated monthly instalments eat away
any of your desires of leading a comfortable
life. And most importantly, when one works
long enough in the Gulf and returns home he
or she realises that all their lives were squandered thinking about tackling the future, with
no focus on the present.
People from developing economies get excited about the improved conversion rates on
their currencies. They have apps installed on
smartphones or laptops to constantly check
the current rate.
But stop for a moment and think whether
the increase of one point (or one unit) gives
people back home any increased buying power. Does the cost of living offset the additional
income?
Websites that offer free financial consulting,
retirement planning and investment tips scare
you when they calculate and present that you
need few tens of thousands of dinars today
to lead a better post-retirement life. And how
in the world the average earning expatriate is
going to generate this few tens of thousands
of dinars in one go?
Gulf countries do not offer citizenships or
long-term residence permits. A few avenues
have opened up
such as residences for business
owners and
property investors. However,
not all expatriate
employees can
avail of these
benefits.
Dollar pegging keeps inflation under control, which
makes employers to keep the salary levels
same for several years altogether.
Therefore, the financial growth is fairly
static over the years while the industry’s salary
standards grow constantly, if not dramatically,
across the world.
So, after spending several years, one may
find their peers back home are more or less
getting the same salaries as you do and are
lucky enough to spend their lives with their
families.
Mohan Krishnamurthy
You seem to have your work cut out for today and over
this holiday week. Despite this, you might enjoy organizing family gatherings and various entertainment options. Also a potent influence hints you may find yourself
taking stock and thinking about your priorities. Why?
Well, there’s a real chance that they’ll change from now.
With the holiday week already here, you might have
a stack of things to organise so others can enjoy the
coming days. If so, it would hardly be surprising if you
feel overwhelmed. Opt for a little pampering as a special gift to yourself. However, the switch of Saturn today
urges you to take talents more seriously.
If you’ve had a lot on your plate over recent months,
and are feeling tired as a result, then relief may be at
hand. Saturn’s move into your social sector could help
lessen the burden of responsibility. Instead, you might
be motivated to expand your social network and connect with people who resonate with ideas and plans.
Today, Saturn changes signs which might result in you
feeling less emotionally burdened. If you’ve been dealing with big responsibilities, this could soon alter as life
becomes less demanding. Instead, you could get serious about a creative talent you’ve neglected recently
and decide to use it to earn some extra income.
The festive week is here, and with the planets conspiring positively in your social sector it seems you’re set
to have a ball. Whether you’re organising or a happy
guest, it’s time to don your party clothes and start enjoying yourself. Soon enough your focus will change to
concentrate on some very worldly ambitions, Pisces.
It can be hard work having fun, especially when you’re
in charge of making sure the days ahead live up to others’ expectations. Yet, there can be an element of enjoyment about this too. One thing’s for sure, romantic options scintillate, with the chance that a key relationship
or budding romance could sparkle more brightly.
The potential for change shows up as Saturn leaves
your zone of shared resources and enters your travel
sector. As a result, an edgy financial situation could
begin to improve. Meanwhile, despite this being the
holiday week, you may have work or other major responsibilities to attend to before you can finally relax.
There may be a good reason to celebrate, especially if
you’ve been feeling the pinch financially. Today, Saturn
moves out of your personal money zone and into your
communication sector. Over the weeks and months
ahead you could notice a gradual, yet positive change
in your circumstances that relieves any anxiety.
The idea of studying or taking on a new challenge may
appeal, especially if you gain valuable insights and
experience. In addition, your relationship with your
sweetheart and other important people looks set to
improve, with tense situations easing off and perhaps
resolving altogether - not immediately but over time.
If you have a lot of paperwork to sort out, letters or
cards to write or deadlines to complete, try breaking it
down into smaller bite-sized chunks and it will likely get
done in a flash. Meanwhile, you might be motivated to
increase your income by embracing untapped potential or utilising skills that have lain dormant.
There’s no time like the present, particularly when it
comes to managing your resources. If you can get a
handle on festive spending now, you’ll be in a better
place when 2015 arrives. Meanwhile, any day-to-day
pressures you’ve been coping with might soon show
signs of lessening, which could be good for your health.
Some retailers may slash prices to engender more sales
and this can be perfect for getting hold of a few bargains, especially if you have last minute gifts to snap up.
Saturn also enters your sign today for a long stay, perhaps encouraging you to focus your energy on a goal
you’ve been dreaming about for some time.
Strong drink (5)
To canvass is thus perfectly legal (7)
Join by dint of a bit of tinkering? (4)
Much like Anson, he was an explorer (6)
One instrumental in taking up a collection? (5)
Byron character who has to exist by arranging
pop (5)
Turning, it applies pressure round the ring (5)
In which to look sharp (5)
Lavished affection on a diminutive couple (5)
Eleanor, we hear, gives us a ring (5)
Puzzled as to why the umpire raised a finger?
(7)
Maybe read about a race improperly
abandoned (6)
Pretty average place with a church (6)
Live where soldiers have a team (6)
Port Authority in the clear (5)
Just the place to go with an oppo? (4)
Incision a golfer may do well to make (3)
How many words of four
letters or more can you make
from the letters show here?
In making a word, each letter
may be used once only, Each
must contain the centre
letter and there must be at
least one nine-letter word.
No plurals or verb forms
ending in “s” no words with
initial capitals and no words
with a hyphen or apostrophe
permitted.
The first word of a phrase is
allowed (e.g. inkjet in inkjet
printer)
TODAY’S TARGET
Good 8; very good 12;
excellent 16 (or more).
Solutions tomorrow.
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION
elfish file fill filly fish fishy hill
hilly isle jellify JELLYFISH life
lily lisle sill silly
YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC SOLUTION
ACROSS: 3, Which 8, Reg-Al 10, Ho.-p it 11, Bar 12,
A-reas 13, Outrage 15, Sepia 18, Ike 19, De-duct 21,
D-ealers 22, PO-or 23, Spin 24, E-ngages 26, The rag
29, MA-C 31, Sides 32, Re-gul-ar 34, Stour 35, La-X
36, Spree 37, Kap-OK 38, Trays.
DOWN: 1, Deb-U-t 2, Harrier 4, Hare 5, C-h-ases
6, H-osed 7, Mimi-C 9, Gat 12, Age-long 14, AKA
16, Pumps 17, At-one 19, Dreamer 20, Spots 21,
Domed 23, Secula-R 24, Easter 25, Gag 27, Hippy
28, Reset 30, Sa-X-on 32, Ruby 33, Lap.
YESTERDAY’S QUICK SOLUTION
ACROSS: 3, Beats 8, Stain 10, Rural 11, Rim
12, Denis 13, Mariner 15, Valid 18, Tan 19,
Cinema 21, Begonia 22, Hood 23, Good 24,
Decagon 26, Abuses 29, Dad 31, Poses 32,
Replica 34, Vital 35, Era 36, Buyer 37, Users
38, Newly.
DOWN: 1, Straw 2, Limited 4, Ewer 5, Trivia
6, Susan 7, Maxim 9, Air 12, Denotes 14,
Nag 16, Lemon 17, Dandy 19, Citadel 20,
Cheap 21, Bonus 23, Godless 24, Desire 25,
Gap 27, Bogus 28, Seven 30, Scare 32, Rail
33, Ire.
7
ACROSS
1 Fragment (5), 6 Direction (5), 9 Sweetheart (7), 10 Shining (5), 11 Open sore (5) , 12 Edge
(5), 13 Natural surroundings (7), 15 Summit (3), 17 Experts (4), 18 Attractiveness (6), 19 Oath
(5), 20 Catalogued for reference (2,4), 22 Girl’s name (4), 24 Shy (3), 25 Health-check (7), 26
Foundation (5), 27 Backless sofa (5), 28 Chops wildly (5) , 29 Book of words (7), 30 Discourage
(5), 31 Mends with stitches (5)
DOWN
2 High-quality brandy (6), 3 Handsome youth (6), 4 Dog’s foot (3), 5 Precipitation (5), 6
Nestle (7), 7 Eye up (4), 8 Minor earthquake (6), 12 Worth (5), 13 Destruction (5), 14 Muscular,
informally (5), 15 Soldier’s jacket (5), 16 Of the foot (5), 18 Fire remains (5), 19 Mrs Mop (7), 21
Beginner (6), 22 Albanian capital (6), 23 Serviette (6), 25 Note value (5), 26 Hay bundle (4), 28
Carry bricks in this (3)
R S U
L R O
A U G