4 days ago
UAE: Live the high life but pay less with these money-saving apps
The UAE can be an expensive place to live, especially if you have an active social life or a big family that enjoys days out. Thankfully, there are plenty of apps available to help your dirhams go further, not just for dining and entertainment, but for day-to-day activities too. Here is a selection to get you started.
The Entertainer
One of the best-known money-saving apps is The Entertainer which offers thousands of deals across dining, attractions, leisure, kids activities, theme parks, spas, salons, fitness centres and hotel stays across Dubai. 'We've seen a clear shift in how our members use The Entertainer when choosing where to spend their income,' says Olivia Hamilton, its UAE Marketing Manager. 'Our members are making decisions recognising that consistent, small-scale savings on everyday expenses like a 2-for-1 on coffee are able to add up to significant long-term value. We see that the app is a powerful financial tool that allows them to experience more of what the city has to offer without compromising their budget.'
It has two types of membership: The Dubai product which unlocks access to over 7,000 offers, and currently costs Dh425. It also has a wider GCC product, featuring 20,000 offers for Dh495. Once purchased, it remains valid until the end of 2025. Its F&B deals are popular across the city, including places like Nando's, TGI Friday's, Shake Shack, Cafe Bateel, The Meat Co., Aquaventure World and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.
The SupperClub
Co-Founder and CEO Mehreen Omar says her mission is 'to make premium dining, luxury leisure, and unforgettable experiences more accessible without ever compromising on quality.' The SupperClub members enjoy exclusive discounts for unlimited guests at 5-star hotel restaurants, luxury F&B venues, spas, and beach clubs with no caps on usage, guests, or visits. This means if you want to go to brunch with 20 people everyone gets the discounts. The discount is applied discreetly to your bill, so no codes, no vouchers and no awkward moments.
Membership comes in three tiers: There's gold (Dh165 for six months), diamond (Dh275 for 12 months), and platinum (Dh1,495 annually). There's also a WhatsApp concierge service. ' Think of it as having a personal assistant in your pocket. Simply text: "I need a romantic dinner spot for my anniversary" or "Book me the best sushi place for Saturday night," and our concierge handles everything,' says Omar.
Careem
While it's mostly known as a ride-hailing and food delivery app, Careem can easily be viewed as a discount platform too given its wide range of deals. Its 'Top Offers' section is regularly updated with discounts, and not just for food deliveries. It also has a 'DineOut' section of the app where you can choose from brunches, walk-in offers, buffets and even tasting menus. These often feature 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' and 'up to 50 per cent off' deals. If you are a regular user, then there's the Careem Plus subscription (Dh19 a month) with offers such as 10 per cent back on rides, free deliveries and savings on DineOut, bike discounts and home services.
Smiles
Smiles is a lifestyle app by e& (formerly Etisalat) offering deals and rewards across multiple products and services like food and groceries, home services, dining out, shopping, entertainment and travelling. It's a combination of a rewards and discount app that can save you serious money. You can convert Smiles points into SHARE points, Majid Al Futtaim's lifestyle rewards programme, which can be redeemed at Carrefour, VOX Cinemas, Magic Planet, Mall of the Emirates, and more.
Privilee
It's a membership plan that gives you complimentary access to daycations, beach clubs, pools, fitness classes and select dining spots. Membership plans are flexible and suited to varying durations and lifestyles, with standard monthly membership starting at Dh579 per month.
Among its iconic locations available to members are the W Dubai The Palm, Kempinski Palm Jumeirah, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Its fitness and gym partners include Fitness First, FitRepublik, Warehouse Gym and Level Up Gyms.
myAlfred
Calling itself a UAE-grown 'super‑app', myAlfred offers daily deals and exclusive discounts from over 100 brands and comes with free membership. It has partnered with and if you take out an insurance product you get access to premium membership. Many of the top partners are car-related providers but it has deals across retail, food, wellness and medical.
'Looking ahead, the myAlfred app aims to evolve beyond rewards and policy management into a comprehensive lifestyle companion. Upcoming features include the ability to pay utility bills through the app, receive timely renewal reminders, enjoy health and travel perks and access exclusive partner deals and much more,' says Grishma Apte, General Manager at myAlfred.
