Financial wellness consultant and brand strategist Beth Clay is a relative newcomer to Dubai. Just 39, the British expatriate has passed the three-year mark in the emirate, where she says the financial landscape is rapidly evolving. Here she tells wknd. of her transformation in her relationship with money, from one of catastrophising to one of security.

If you had to use one word to describe money what would it be?

Emotional.

If you had to write a letter to money, what would you say?

I'd say:“Throughout our lives, you've widely been misunderstood. People reduce you to bank account figures that never feel big enough. But really, you're a mirror reflecting our fears, our values, and the stories we carry, like 'I'm not good enough for you' or 'you're out of reach.' When we stop chasing you and start building a healthy relationship with you, we see you for what you are-a tool to open doors and create new possibilities.”

How would you describe your relationship to money?

Balanced now-but it wasn't always. For years, I carried fears that led me to catastrophes over losing money. Studying the psychology of money helped me trace those fears back and reshaping that story directed me towards better planning and diversification. Today, I diversify into 'pots' that give me both control and peace of mind.

How do you think this relationship was formed?

My father shaped a lot of it. He was a financial director who used money to support us and taught me about building wealth and setting goals. But losing him suddenly in my teens left me with deep fears around loss-fears I unknowingly projected onto money. It wasn't until my thirties that I consciously rewired that relationship. My corporate career, my leap into entrepreneurship, pitching on Shark Tank UAE, and coaching others-each experience proved that money isn't just numbers. It's about developing a healthy relationship with it and choosing the stories we want to carry.

What good or bad lessons about money management did you learn from your mother?

Resilience. Through my father's example, she carried forward the importance of planning whether that being in life insurance, saving for the future, investing - but she also taught me to make space for enjoyment. That balance now forms the core of how I help clients -not just saving or spending but finding things that bring you joy in the here and now.

Who do you speak to about money matters and is it something you consider 'taboo'?

So having raw, honest conversations about money is at the heart of everything I coach around financial wellness. I encourage all my clients to speak openly with their partners, siblings, children and friends so that we can be as transparent as possible. By putting our financial goals and struggles on the table, we discover ways forward that we couldn't see alone. In short, I don't consider it taboo. In fact, I think the silence around money is one of the reasons so many struggle with it.

Who has taught you the most about financial management?

Initially, my father. But to be honest these days, it's clients. Every session reveals new insights about money stories, habits, and the emotions that drive them. It's why I'm fascinated by the psychology of money-the numbers are never separate from the feelings.

How do you think living in the UAE has changed your relationship with and perception of money or wealth?

The UAE is a place of opportunity-it can be inspiring and overwhelming at once. Being surrounded by wealth daily forces you to ask - what are my values? What does money mean to me? Does the way I live my life feel good to me or is to keep up with others? My work here has deepened that focus-helping people not just build wealth but also build healthier relationships with it.

If you could give your child or your younger self one piece of advice about money now what would that be and why?

Pay future you. Live life now but always put something aside-even 100 or 500 dirhams a month. Those small, consistent steps build trust in yourself and your ability to grow wealth over the long term.

What do you value spending money on?

For me it's experiences. I spent so much of my twenties and early thirties travelling, and now want to show my children the world and see it through their eyes.

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