Budgeting is one of those words that can instantly trigger stress for young adults but it doesn’t have to be.

In this episode of How to Adult, host Hala Nasar explores how to take control of your spending, without giving up joy in the process.

The episode opens with Hala reflecting on her own experience learning to manage money after getting her first paycheque.

She is also joined by Isaac Arroyo, data journalist at The National and UAE newcomer who shares his quirky yet effective method for tracking expenses by thinking in terms of coffee cups, and how this system helped him make sense of the cost of living in a new country.

To offer expert advice, Hala speaks to Mike Coady, chief executive of Skybound Wealth and a financial adviser based in Dubai. Mr Coady provides tips on how to build a monthly budget and what realistic saving looks like in the early stages of a career.

How to Adult is a weekly series helping young people tackle real-life skills they were never formally taught. New episodes appear every Monday across podcast platforms, YouTube and social media platforms.