While all those dystopian TV shows and movies might help you to imagine what it could be like, we are already getting glimpses of the future in our daily lives.

This is thanks to our increased reliance on automation and, of course, the more recent surge in our use of generative artificial intelligence.

One recent report on the future of work has found that traditional salaries will no longer exist – that’s right, forget the frustration of waiting for your monthly salary transfer. Instead, employees can look forward to real-time payments and even instant bonuses for a job well done.

But what else is in store for workers in the future?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Tracey Follows, a UK-based futurist who discusses her latest research on the work of the future.

Experts say there is a right and a wrong way to ask your boss for a wage increase and you should start by being prepared before sitting down with your manager for the “salary talk”.

This could include compiling your successes over the past year to boost your case. You should also consider your goals and what benefits matter most to you, such as a better work-life balance.

It is also important to figure out the pros and cons of working full-time in the office or a hybrid mix that allows you to work from home a couple of days a week.

But how do you ensure that you start 2024 with a welcome boost to your income?

Host Felicity Glover talks to John Armstrong, founder and managing director of recruitment specialist JCA Associates, who takes us through the steps to ask for a pay rise.

Getting started, however, can be overwhelming if you are a beginner. While there’s a lot of advice on the likes of TikTok and YouTube, this is something you need to be wary about as many influencers are paid to promote investment services or are simply not financial experts.

Taking the DIY investment route with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a great option as it is low-cost and puts you in charge of your finances. Staying the course and keeping a cool head during negative market events are also key to your success. But how do you begin?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Peter Siks, the investment coach at Saxo Bank and co-author of Investing for Dummies, who advises investors to embrace fear to hedge against global uncertainties.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid.

Despite all the talk of a bull market this year, stock markets continue their typical roller-coaster ride – one minute they’re in positive territory and your portfolio is in the black. And the next, they are impacted by a devastating crisis, such as the wars in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.

But is there a way to create a smarter portfolio to offset geopolitical uncertainties?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Ken Fisher, the billionaire founder, executive chairman and co-chief investment officer of Fisher Investments, who advises investors to embrace fear to hedge against global uncertainties.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

It took the Covid-19 pandemic to make many of us realise that our work-life balance was much more important for our long-term happiness, health and mental well-being.

I recently came across a book by personal finance expert Marissa Thakor – and it put a lot of my conditioned beliefs to the test about our constant chase for more money and success. Titled MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your 'Enough’, it argues that we spend the better part of our adult lives accumulating as much money as possible and working way too many hours because that’s what society expects of us.

But as “The Great Resignation” trend took hold at the height of the pandemic, it became clear: many people had found their “enough” – and took a leap into the unknown.

I speak to Carol Glynn, the founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, about how to identify how much is enough for our personal and financial freedom.

Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

Knowing how to keep our emotions in check while trading is an essential skill that investors need to learn, regardless of their experience.

As legendary investor Warren Buffett once said: “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”

What are the best strategies to control our emotions while investing?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Matthew Carstens, director of product experience at neo-broker amana, who shares his best tips on how investors can keep their cool regardless of what is happening in stock markets.

Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

Working out what we want to achieve financially in our lives can be a struggle for some. Sure, there are the usual goals that many of us may aspire to – saving for a home and our children’s education, for instance.

But what if your goals are different and you don’t want the responsibility of owning a home, or maybe you'd like to join the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and stop working at 40 – or even younger?

Host Felicity Glover talks to Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial, about setting financial goals and how to get started.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Doaa Farid and Arthur Eddyson

As many of you probably know, gold made a welcome comeback in April, jumping above $2,000 per ounce for the first time in more than a year. While the move was great news for gold investors, the bad news is that the precious metal typically rises during economic headwinds.

In this case, the US banking crisis had taken hold amid persistent inflation and fears that the US was falling into a recession. While those fears remain, we’re also officially in a bull market run – so what does this mean for gold and its outlook for the rest of 2023?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Aziz Moti, general manager and head of analysis at ISA Bullion, who discusses the precious metal’s outlook for the remainder of the year.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, former Olympic rowers and founders of crypto exchange Gemini, first became famous after their legal dispute with Mr Zuckerberg, portrayed in the critically acclaimed 2010 movie, The Social Network.

Their venture into the world of cryptocurrency pushed the Winklevoss twins into the spotlight again. In 2014, they founded Gemini, which has become one of the most reputable and regulated platforms in the industry.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Cameron and Tyler at The National’s newsroom in Abu Dhabi. They talk about their belief in Bitcoin, how they first came across it, why they founded Gemini, how to cope with the volatile crypto market and why AI is the next big thing for crypto.

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

There are numerous hazards to be aware of – from pickpockets to sophisticated bait and switch scams and online fraudsters, to name a few.

But there are ways that you can protect your finances before and during your holiday, such as being prepared and having a plan B in place in case your financial security is compromised.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Carol Glynn, the founder of Conscious Finance Coaching, who discusses her best tips on how to keep our money safe while travelling.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

There are numerous expenses associated with the holiday — such as gifts, new clothes, family gatherings, zakat and overseas travel.

There is no doubt that it can be an expensive time of the year for many households in the UAE — particularly for those who have left it too late to set budgets and put away money in the lead up to the holiday.

And that is why it’s extremely important not to give into temptation and rack up debt during Eid, particularly with the higher interest rates that credit cards attract these days. Host Felicity Glover is joined by Rasheda Khatun Khan, a wealth and wellness expert, founder of Design Your Life and the author of Millionaire Mindset – 6 Steps To A Wealthy Life, who discusses the best ways to avoid debt over the Eid break.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

It can be difficult for many of us to manage our personal finances at the best of times, such as sticking to a budget, ensuring we have enough to cover our daily expenses and consistently saving for important financial milestones, such as a down payment on a home and retirement.

There's no doubt that financial literacy is one of the most important elements of successfully managing our money — but it doesn't come naturally to some people, who struggle to plan for a financially secure future.

While some of us may seek advice from a finance professional to help us on our path to financial security, others might be wondering whether those professionals manage their money differently to regular people. And are they more responsible and less susceptible to temptation than we are?

In this episode of Pocketful of Dirhams, host Felicity Glover speaks to Fazeela Gopalani, the head of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the Middle East, who says that planning is key to managing your personal finances successfully — and something that she practices every day with her own money.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Doaa Farid

Employees in banking, financial services, investment management and consulting can expect the highest salary increases and bonuses in 2023, says Trefor Murphy, founder and chief executive of recruitment consultancy Cooper Fitch. However, employees in other sectors can also expect solid pay rises and benefits such as flexible working, Mr Murphy adds.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Mr Murphy, who discusses this year’s salary trends in the UAE and shares his advice on the steps you should follow to ask for a pay rise.

There are many reasons why debts can spiral out of control — from losing your job to facing a medical emergency, or even spending beyond your means.

Whatever the reason, there are consequences — after three missed payments, banks in the UAE will alert their collections department about a debt default.

That is a situation you don’t want to find yourself in as you could eventually face legal action and a travel ban.

But how do you negotiate with debt collectors and — more importantly — make it work to your advantage?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by debt collection expert Jaya Ratnani, managing partner of Freed Financial Services, who discusses what to do if you are contacted by a collections team.

Others may feel uncomfortable making a financial commitment to buy a property and prefer to live their lives free of the burden of a mortgage. However, many financial experts advise that investing in property is important to diversify your portfolio, particularly in today's bear market.

One option in the UAE involves fractional property investing. Think of it like crowdsourcing — a certain number of people invest X amount of money and collectively buy a property together. The property is then rented out and investors earn a return based on the rental yield. But what is fractional property investing, how much do you need to begin and are the returns worth it?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Siddiq Farid, co-founder of real estate investment platform SmartCrowd, who discusses the pros and cons of fractional property investing.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Thomas Smith

Analysts warn that the cryptocurrency roller coaster ride is far from over, dragged down by this year’s equity bear market, global economic uncertainty, higher interest rates and a sharp rise in the cost of living around the world.

Many novice investors might be ruing the day they jumped on the cryptocurrency bandwagon, believing they could make a fast buck on the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum or meme coins such as Doge and Shiba Inu on their “shoot to the moon” journey. However, rather than panic selling — and risk losing a substantial chunk of your investment ― investors might want to consider some other strategies. These include holding on for dear life (HODLing) to avoid short-term volatility, or staking digital coins to earn passive income.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Stefan Rust, founder of blockchain development house Laguna Labs and former chief executive of bitcoin.com, who discusses the benefits of investing in cryptocurrencies for the longer term.

Those skills can include anything from money management to time management, as well as building confidence, instilling a sense of responsibility and gaining that all-important on-the-job experience.

While it is an empowering experience for youth, the two most important skills for part-time working teenagers is understanding the value of money and how to manage a regular salary, financial experts say.

This includes budgeting, setting savings goals and even beginning their investment journey as early as possible to take advantage of the benefits of long-term compounding interest.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Marilyn Pinto, founder of Kids Finance Initiative Global, who discusses the benefits of teenagers earning a regular salary through part-time work.

While average property prices in Dubai rose by 10.9 per cent, year on year, last month, residents can now qualify for a 10-year golden visa if they buy a property for as little as Dh2 million ($544,588).

Despite rising interest rates, the initiative is attracting both residents and high-net-worth individuals from around the world, with an average budget of about Dh3m, property experts say.

But where should you buy and how do you apply for the golden visa once you have decided on a property?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Richard Waind, group managing director of Betterhomes, who discusses the UAE property market and how the golden visa is benefitting the long-term plans of UAE residents.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

But during times of high inflation and rising interest rates, it becomes more difficult for households to stretch their dirhams further. Regardless of where you are in the world today, the prices of food, petrol and other everyday expenses are on the rise and salaries are not keeping up with inflation. This leads many people to struggle with their budgets. However, there are numerous ways to ease the financial stress you might be experiencing, experts say.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Alison Soltani, founder of UAE savings website Leap Savvy Savers, who shares her tips on how to save money on everyday expenses during periods of high inflation.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

But cutting through the noise of slick sales talk and the many deals that are on offer in the UAE — which typically include extended warranties, free service packages, insurance and registration for the first year — is only the first step.

It is essential to do your research and set a budget before deciding on which car to buy: new, second-hand or even electric, experts say. It is also important to consider the cost of running a car, more so these days with higher petrol prices, as well as its long-term value. So, where do you begin?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by automotive entrepreneur Naz Chaudhry, who shares his tips and tricks on how to negotiate the best deal when buying a car in the UAE.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

The recent spate of true-crime documentaries on streaming services, including Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler, Bad Vegan and Inventing Anna, have served to highlight the issue — showing just how easy it is to trick people into handing over their life savings to a scammer.

Since 2020, online fraud has surged around the world, according to cyber security experts. But what are the red flags and how can you tell if an SMS, a website or even a social media post is genuine?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Salah Suleiman, the UAE sales manager at internet content security company Trend Micro, who talks about online fraud and how to protect your hard-earned money.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

However, the jobs market in the UAE will continue to recover in 2022 as business confidence and hiring activity return to pre-coronavirus levels, according to recruitment experts. A number of specialist recruitment agencies in the UAE are forecasting that our take home pay could rise as much as 5 per cent this year. But what other benefits can we look forward to?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Grace Eldridge, a business manager at recruitment specialist Hays Middle East, who talks about this year’s UAE salary trends.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

Hallam, who started investing as a teenager and became a millionaire at 37, has a new book out this month: Balance: How to Invest and Spend for Happiness, Health and Wealth. Balance was inspired by Hallam’s curiosity about why people equate success with money and career. While these aren’t bad goals, he says, there is more to life than work and a salary. Hallam believes success should be measured by life satisfaction based on four factors: strong relationships, having enough money, good health and a sense of purpose. But how do we achieve this?

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Hallam, who talks about his new book and why it’s important to find the right balance in your financial life.

Hosted by Felicity Glover

Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

He’s gone from earning Dh6,000 a month as a company driver to now having the financial freedom that many people spend a lifetime seeking. One month on from his life-changing win, Mr Rana says he’s still coming to terms with the fact that he’s a multimillionaire and no longer has to work for anybody.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Mr Rana, who talks about his future plans and how this life-changing amount of money will make a difference to his and his family’s life.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Arthur Eddyson and Ayesha Khan

And this is where Rolly Brocales is hoping to make a difference. The managing director of restaurant chain Off The Hook is on a mission to help his 90 employees save for their futures by teaching them financial literacy skills. Host Felicity Glover is joined by Mr Brocales, who discusses how he and his partners are helping their team invest and set financial goals.

Hosted by Felicity Glover Produced by Ayesha Khan and Arthur Eddyson

Host Alice Haine is joined by Alexis Soued, the co-founder of Lune, a new personal financial assistance platform which aims to simplify money management and increase financial literacy in the Mena region.

While the rise and fall of crypto assets has been well documented with some investors making vast sums and others losing their life savings, scepticism from central bankers is rife. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde has warned of the link between crypto assets and money laundering, while Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey told investors to only buy cryptos "if you're prepared to lose all your money". So with so much uncertainty around the future of cryptocurrencies, how viable are they and do they really have a place in the investment world?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Raša Karapandža, visiting professor of economics at New York University Abu Dhabi, who shares his insights on the misconceptions surrounding the technology.

With geopolitics also back on the agenda, as the Biden administration engages with the world once again, any decision there has the power to move markets. At the same time, the vaccination programme has been uneven, with emerging markets getting the short end of the vaccine stick. And let us not forget – the Covid crisis is far from over. So, as we enter the second half of the year, what is the outlook from here?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Samy Chaar, chief economist at Swiss private bank Lombard Odier, who guides listeners on what to expect next.

In March, a survey by moneytransfers.com, which used YouGov data to rank 21 countries that are likely to accept a fully cashless economy, found that consumers in India, the UAE and Indonesia were the most likely to choose digital payments. Meanwhile, another study by Standard Chartered last September found that 64 per cent of respondents expect the UAE to be a fully cashless society by 2030.

Co-hosts Felicity Glover and Alice Haine discuss the future of cash and whether or not it will continue to play an important part in our financial lives post-pandemic.

There are a number of financial factors to consider before taking the leap, including the cost of flights, health insurance and whether or not airlines will continue offering flexible tickets in case our travel plans have to be cancelled at the last minute. The good news is that there are quite a few flight deals being offered by the likes of Emirates, Etihad and low-cost airline flydubai – but it's best to get in early to take advantage of the lower prices.

Host Felicity Glover is joined by Hayley Skirka, The National’s travel correspondent, who shares her recommendations for the best travel deals this summer.