JEDDAH, 1 February 2008 — In a growing fashion across the Kingdom, bank workers report that many Saudi women, fearing unscrupulous husbands or male relatives who may squander their wealth, open bank accounts either without giving home addresses. Such women generally open saving accounts and are unwilling to provide their postal addresses in their applications, leaving only a telephone number, according to a recent report in Al-Jazirah newspaper.
“Many Saudi women of different ages refuse to provide their postal addresses and ask us not to send them monthly bank statements. They also refuse to take cash cards saying their accounts are only for saving,” said Nuha Al-Jeelan, an employee at a local bank, adding that such women visit her bank in person and query about their accounts.
“We mustn’t be surprised at instances of women having bank accounts without the knowledge of their male relatives. It happens often. These women are secretive about their finances because they don’t trust their husbands and brothers,” she added.
Hanadi, 28, said she took out a secret savings account after her brothers continued borrowing money from her and refused to pay her back. “My brothers keep squandering my wealth; all the money they take from me is spent on their wives and kids, and they don’t take into consideration that this money belongs to me,” she said.
“I have three lots of income coming to me in a month totaling SR19,000. This is why my brothers bug me for cash. I’ve got a savings account to save for the future and I’ve made sure my brothers don’t find out about it,” she said, adding that she has included her friend’s postal address in her application.
Hayat Al-Otaibi, 24, has two bank accounts — one that her family knows about and another secret one for saving. “My sister insisted that I open a second saving account. She said it was important I saved money. She told me that this money is for the future, and that I have to hide this account from my husband,” said Al-Otaibi.
“Many women don’t trust their husbands. Men could just go and marry another woman any day,” she said, adding that she has been able to save a hefty amount of money.
