Frugal Expat

An expat's journey in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Archive for the month “May, 2010”

18 May 2010
7 Comments

Rent a Car in Abu Dhabi

Out of necessity for my new job post, I am obliged to have a car. I have a mixed feeling whether to purchase or simply rent a car in Abu Dhabi. I abhor the long financial commitment of availing a car loan and with the current job market condition; I honestly don’t find it the best solution for the time being.

So while on the process of getting acquainted with my new role, I decided to rent a car for the next few months. The average range for monthly car rental price here in Abu Dhabi is between AED 2,200 (USD 600) to AED 2,500 (USD 685). In fact, established car rental companies are more expensive.

Before renting my car, I called up many car rental companies to scour a cheaper deal. The price and insurance coverage are my primary deciding factors. Although there are cheaper price for auto rent in Abu Dhabi, I am not comfortable with their insurance coverage.

I am a new driver and considering the driving etiquette and parking issues here, comprehensive car insurance is the most favorable option for me. It means that if ever accident happens, insurance will cover it as long as I provide the car rental company with police report.

After calling numerous car rental companies in Abu Dhabi, I eventually found a better deal. It is the Auto Rent Company. The monthly price is AED 1750 for a 2010 model of Renault Logan with comprehensive car insurance.

The only hitch is they will charge AED 0.75 per kilometer after reaching a total mileage of 4500 km per month. Honestly, I am fine with it. I just drive within the city and occasional drive on weekends to Dubai or other Emirates.

The required documents for renting a car in Abu Dhabi are copies of your passport, credit card and driving license. If you are new in Abu Dhabi and don’t have credit card, you can always negotiate it with them.

As for their service, so far I am happy with it. If you want to get in touch with this car rental company in Abu Dhabi, here are the details.

Phone  : +971   2 6350250
Mobile  : +971 50 5542860
Fax      :+971    2 6350822
Email   : anandw@autorent-me.com
Website: www.autorent-me.com

Just to let you know, this is not a paid blog post or review. I am simply recommending this auto rental company because I am satisfied with their service and it is the best deal I found in the city. If you have any other recommendations, please let me know and I’ll be delighted to try it as I plan to continue renting a car until end of the year.

Posted by Frugal Xpat in Bills, Life in Abu Dhabi, Reviews, Transpo and tagged , ,
08 May 2010
4 Comments

Beating the summer heat

Last week we headed to Dubai for a work-related matter. Most of our meetings took place in Dubai Health Care City.

Honestly, I haven’t visited Dubai for some time now. If I do, the visits are just confined to the shopping malls, hotels or my friends’ places. So, I was quite disappointment to see that Dubai Health Care City is not yet completely finished.

When I left Dubai almost 3 years ago, they were constructing already that area. Although most of the buildings now in Dubai Health Care City are already inhabited and majority is offices, construction is still ongoing in some areas.

We crossed from one building into the other amid the hot day because there were areas where parking spaces were very scarce. Walking through the paved pathways, unfortunately I could not ignore the unusual view in front of me.

In between the pathways made of concrete and bricks are small sized landscapes. Then in these small landscapes, there were people resting. They are the construction workers who are taking a nap during their lunch break and perhaps trying to soothe the scorching summer heat by sleeping on the grass field.

Behind the stunning architectures and towering skyscrapers

We are still in the month of May but we can already feel the summer season. It’s hot outside and it is really unbearable sometimes. Imagine.. We, who come and go in an air-conditioned offices and cars, complain about the intolerable heat of the sun but just think of the construction workers who are exposed all day long in such harsh weather condition.

Construction workers sleeping on the grass during their lunch break
Posted by Frugal Xpat in Life in Abu Dhabi, Outdoor Activities, Weather
07 May 2010
1 Comment

It’s been awhile

It has been awhile since my last blog post entry. Sorry folks! I have been so engrossed and exhausted with my current job role.

Anyway, here are few shameless shout-outs. LOL!

Expat Arrivals (local info for global expats)


Is Your Employment Package in Abu Dhabi Lucrative Enough?

The employment contracts here in Abu Dhabi cover the basic terms and conditions which are set by the UAE Labour Law regardless of your profession but it is the entitlement in your employment package that makes the difference.

Continue reading >>>>>>>>>


Your Basic Checklist When Accepting Job Offer in Abu Dhabi

Are you expecting a job offer soon from companies based in Abu Dhabi? Or planning to explore new career opportunities in this part of the globe? Indeed evaluating and accepting an overseas employment offer is a challenging task specially if you have never visited or lived in that particular country.

Continue reading>>>>>


Happy reading.. I hope you find the articles informative…

Cheers

Posted by Frugal Xpat in Employment, Life in Abu Dhabi

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