How to save money in the Netherlands?

January 2022 — By Javier Baez Garcia

Hey everyone, my name is Javier and I have been living in the Netherlands since July 2016. I love it here, but I’ve learned the hard way how expensive things can get… However, the Dutch are known for their tendency to save money. In this blog I will give some tips on how to save money like a Dutchie! 😎

Travelling:

Moving around in the city centre of Maastricht can be really easy and cheap. In Maastricht everything is close by, so taking a bike is very easy and almost effortless. Taking a bike is generally even faster than going by car. If you have an OV card (public transport) you can easily hire a bike at the Maastricht station!

Whenever you have to travel by train, try to see if there is any discount actions online for travelling. Quite often these are sold at Kruidvat or at Jumbo! These tickets can generally be used for a full day, and save u a lot of money! You can also check at NS online to see if any discounts are applicable to you, think about a group ticket, or 40% discount! https://www.ns.nl/nsflex/webshop#/bestelling/producten/2

Whenever u have to go to a place a bit further away, try to check in groups on Facebook like “sharing is caring” if any other people are planning to go there. Maybe you can share a ride, as well get to know new people!

Shopping

Saving money can be easily done by, for example, going to cheaper supermarkets like Lidl or Aldi. Do you wanna stick with your own supermarket? Then the most easy way to save money is by comparing brands in your local super market. Instead of buying the well known brands, choose a cheaper option like the housebrand. Compare different prices for similar products, instead of taking the first product you see! Also try to think outside of the box when buying products. For example, you can easily buy your cleaning stuff at Zeeman or Wibra, and go for household stuff for example to Xenos. The best tip, however, is to check the loyalty programme of your supermarket. The Dutch LOVE a discount! For example, Albert Heijn has their Bonus Card, for which you register online, and which will even give you personalized discounts! Ka-Ching! In every city there are generally are also market days, for instance in Maastricht every Friday. Go check out these for fresh and cheaper food! There are also plenty of second hand shops (kringloopwinkel) available around the city, where you can buy secondhand; yet good quality thrifts. Didn’t find anything of your liking? Internet can be a lifesaver as well, just check online at bol.com or Marktplaats for the cheapest options!

In many stores you can sign up for memberships/subscriptions/saving cards. By this you will get discounts on products or even get stuff for free. Check before you go to a specific store if this is something applicable! Think for example about an Ikea family card, that provides u also with free coffee!

The easiest way to drop the expenses is to share meals and groceries! Do so with your roommate, your friend, or even a classmate. Cook together, eat together and have a good time!

Keep track of your expenses

What do i have? What do i need? Start off by calculating the amount of money you currently have in your account, then also calculate your monthly fixed charges. Use websites or apps like https://www.nibud.nl/consumenten/levenssituaties/studeren-levenssituaties/ to set up a financial study plan. This website can help you to give you more insight in your current income, and it will also predict how this will affect you in the future. As an extra the website lets you compare your income to others in a similar situation. This might help you to set up a monthly budget.

Keep track of your and your roommate or friends by using apps like WieBetaaltWat and to share the expenses in a fair way. Later use Tikkie to send people a pay request, it is as easy as that!

Learn the language

Even though Maastricht is a very international city, and throughout the Netherlands almost everywhere you go you can speak English, it’s a plus to speak the Dutch language. Locals will be kind and sometimes even give you a discount if they find out you speak the language 😙

If you want even more tips, check this website:
https://livingrichstudent.com/blogs/news/how-to-save-money-as-a-student-in-the-netherlands

Hopefully all of these tips will help. Good luck cashing out!

Best,
Joep