10 Tips for Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia

Have you hailed from Pakistan? Do you support your family and relatives back home? Do you know that even if you live 100 years in Saudi Arabia, you will still use an Iqama to prove that you are a resident of Saudi Arabia not a Saudi national? 

1. Take care of your health

Keep special care of your health, food, and clothes. Intake of good food and wear good clothes. Invest in yourself. Why? Because you have the first right over you: you work hard here to earn those Riyals. And to be honest, no matter how much money you send to Pakistan, it won’t ever be enough!

So, stop saving by cutting expenses on good food, healthcare, and clothes. Start taking care of yourself because people back home won’t ever appreciate the money you send home. Do send them money but take care of yourself first! Recommended: 9 benefits of marrying a Pakistani girl

2. Set goals for savings

As soon as you receive your pay, set aside your savings and then make your budget. It is impossible to save after spending. Save first and then spend the rest.

However, this saving is for yourself and shall not be harmful to you and your family. Don’t save by cutting kids’ healthcare expenses to save money. Save wisely.

3. Choose your friends carefully

Restrict your family and relatives circle to those who are near you and those who would stand by you in your bad times.

Otherwise, when you visit Pakistan you would be loaded with gifts for them. You will invest time in them and in the end, you won’t have time for your family or money! Be wise here. 

4. Family Planning

There is no law that requires you to grow your family every time you visit Pakistan. Having kids isn’t bad: have kids according to your income and earnings.

Please, make sure you provide the best to your family and not only provide your family with the greatest number of kids! Man, you are working abroad, and your kids have better expectations from you! Recommended: A Pakistani man who wants to have 100 children

5. Don’t take loans to show off in Pakistan

Working in KSA, don’t have a luxury home back in Pakistan? You should be having acres stretching home and plots of your own! This is rubbish! You have two kids and a wife, you can adjust to a small home.

Why take loans, and work double shifts only so that your Pakistani relatives would appreciate it? Live happily here: wear decent clothes, eat good food, and have a small home in Pakistan as a backup, that’s it!

6. Set a Schedule to transfer money to Pakistan

Always send money to Pakistan according to schedule. Fix the amount of money that is to be sent every month and this amount is to be decided by you: because as I said: people in Pakistan will make sure that money is never enough. Don’t believe me: so let’s try this.

Send double the amount this month. For instance, if you have been sending PKR 50,000 a month, send PKR 100,000 this month. Now, people back home won’t save a penny and will order you to send more than 50,000 if not 100,000 the other month.

If this won’t happen: you have good relatives. Oh, and by good relatives, I mean that they would ask you to not transfer money this month as you already have sent it in advance!

7. Tell your family about your income and expenses

Tell your family back home about your income and expenses: people back there think your earnings become equivalent to Bill Gates there and you face no financial issues!

8. Don’t stretch yourself while investing

Don’t get into the trouble of buying plots in Pakistan: instead, focus on your kids and family. Keep in touch with children and their school: be updated about their activities and grades.

9. Don’t make your visit a lavish one

Don’t make your visit a lavish one: we can see dozens of people escorting you at the airport. The money you spend to host parties here can be used for better purposes like financing fees of the underprivileged.

10. When will you return?

Lastly, set up goals. When I reach this goal, I would return to Pakistan and settle there. You are and always be on Iqama.