About half of the Dutch rate their financial situation as good to very good. According to three in ten Dutch people, their financial situation has improved in the past 12 months, while a quarter of the Dutch have seen their own financial situation deteriorate.
This is evident from the Financial Behavior Monitor of Money Wise, conducted among a representative group of more than 1.000 Dutch people between the ages of 18 and 80. The survey has been conducted five times since 2013.
The Dutch say they keep a close eye on their finances
The extent to which the Dutch indicate their finance little has changed compared to the previous measurement in 2017. About half of the Dutch population always keep a close eye on their finances. A quarter of the Dutch do this often and 17% do it regularly. The Dutch still carefully consider whether they can afford something before they buy it. About half of the Dutch use a maximum budget for certain expenses, such as daily shopping (29%), holidays (28%) or clothing (19%). In addition, about six in ten Dutch people have a fund for unforeseen expenses.
Slightly less secure in paying bills
Compared to 2017, the Dutch are less likely to always pay their bills on time than in 2017 (69% vs. 77%). Among 18 to 35-year-olds, the percentage that pays bills on time is even lower (58%). This group also buys more often on installments and less often thinks carefully about whether they can afford to buy something. However, the majority of the Dutch (71%) did not receive any payment reminders. As in 2017, about two-thirds of the Dutch have never been in the red in the past 12 months. Just under one in five (17%) was red once or twice and one in ten five times or more.
Mobile banking as a means to keep an overview of finances
More than nine out of ten Dutch people (93%) use one or more tools to keep track of their finances. Although internet banking is still the most used tool (62%), the use of mobile banking is increasing. Almost half of the Dutch (46%) use this. In 2017 this was 38% and in 2015 18%.
The Dutch often find it difficult to let go of thoughts about finances
In 2019, the Dutch are less concerned about their financial situation than before. In 2017, four in ten Dutch people felt unconcerned about this, in 2019 this dropped to about three in ten. Money matters are never far from their minds for one in three Dutch people, while in 2017 this was the case for about one in five Dutch people used to be. In addition, the proportion of Dutch people who rarely have trouble concentrating on a task due to their finances decreased. In 2017 this was more than half of the Dutch population, in 2019 it is slightly more than four in ten.
Question to the readers of Thailandblog: Are you satisfied with your financial situation?
It is good to know that half of the Dutch people between the ages of 18 and 80 consider their financial position to be good to very good, but it is a pity that for a quarter their position has deteriorated. This is of course also because pensioners were included in the survey, who have already seen the spending of their income fall over the last 10 years, except for the extremely wealthy. I wonder what the purpose of such investigations is. Consequences will not be attached to it and as an individual you will get very little out of it. When asked by Thailandblog whether I am satisfied with my financial situation, I cannot simply answer. Yes, when I compare myself to many others and certainly to the average Thai breadwinners, but no because my income has only decreased in recent years due to reductions in and the non-indexation of my pension. But a lament has never helped anyone.
A survey among 1000 people. On the instructions of? Such a study among such a small number of people, plus the question of who is in this group?
It would have been better to keep the money for this research in their pockets (carried out on behalf of Rutte et al.?) and visit our national disgrace, the food bank. Or better yet at any Social Services office. I think that would result in a completely different outcome. Just last week, figures were published showing that living costs and tax burden have risen.