'Money was a medium of control in our house': British expat in Dubai

Anne Jackson is a Master Life Coach and Founder and CEO of One Life Coaching ME. The 55-year-old British expatriate has been in Dubai for 25 years and sees money as “freedom”. She has learnt to trust it over time, realising that education was the key to her own financial empowerment.

How would you describe your relationship to money?

As a once-troubled romance that’s finally found its groove. In the past, money was like that flaky friend who always promised to show up but somehow never did. However, over time I came to realise that money wasn’t the issue, the issue were the stories told to me about money. Today I don’t chase, I build purpose and money follows. 

How do you think this relationship was formed?

Growing up in an environment where money was used both as a weapon of control and a source of instability, as a child I saw money as unpredictable, tied to my father’s whims, which dictated our lives and kept us in fear. As an adult I learnt that it was my relationship with money that was unreliable, not money itself. Now I see money as a partner, not a punishment.

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

Raised in a patriarchal society, where women had zero financial power, my mother taught to me what had been taught to her: men control money, women serve them. From a young age, my mother impressed on me to marry rich as that was the only way to be happy. She could never see the irony in this, being a desperately unhappy woman despite having married into money herself. Rather than money management, I learnt more about fear and scarcity from my mother, but this led me to an invaluable realisation: that financial independence isn’t just about having money, it is about having choice, stability, and freedom. Determined to not be controlled by money, I decided that education was the key, so I defied the family rule of girls not going to university, applied myself, found grants and bursaries, and supported myself through my degree.

Who has taught you the most about financial management?

I have learnt through self-study, through watching my friends manage their own finances and, of course, through my money coach, who has been instrumental in this journey.

What has been your most profound experience in relation to money, and what has it taught you since?

Becoming an entrepreneur and having the freedom to be in control of the money I do or do not generate — that has been both empowering and liberating.

How do you think living in the UAE has changed your relationship with money?

Living in the UAE has been instrumental in shaping both my success and my relationship with money. To me, the UAE is a place where you can truly be the person you aspire to be. It’s a unique environment that encourages growth, ambition, and success.

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

Learn to see money as a tool, not a source of control or stress.

What do you value spending money on?

I value spending money on “experiences” that enrich our lives and bring us memories to cherish forever.

Do you long-term plan your finances?

Although I always have an up to date one-year and five-year plan running in the background, I try to leave my  financial planning flexible, because life has a way of unfolding in the most unexpected yet beautiful ways.

What is your long-term financial goal?

As well as my house in Dubai, I dream of owning a cottage in London and a sea-facing apartment in Portugal, running my business from these three locations, while continuing to travel the world.

How much do you save each month?

While I try to save 30 per cent of my earnings, paying for my children’s universities right now takes priority.