Monthly Budget & Savings
Net income vs. monthly expenses by category, showing the split and what's left to save.
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Inputs
Extra income a month (allowances, refunds, child benefit, side income)Result
Open a step for the sum with your figures, what the step does, and what the Dutch terms mean.
Monthly budget€ 960
What this step does: Your income against your fixed and variable costs, compared with Nibud guidelines for a household like yours.
- Start from net, not grossBudgeting in the Netherlands is usually done on net (after-tax) monthly income, since that is what actually lands in your bank account. Dutch payslips show this as "netto salaris".
- Group fixed vs. flexible costsHousing, utilities, and insurance are largely fixed (vaste lasten); groceries, transport, and subscriptions have more room to adjust. Separating the two makes it clearer where a budget can actually flex.
- Savings rate as a health checkSavings rate here is simply (income - expenses) ÷ income. A commonly cited Dutch guideline (Nibud) is to keep vaste lasten under roughly 40-50% of net income, leaving room to save and absorb surprises.
- How it worksStart from your net income, the amount that actually lands in your account each month, and subtract your fixed costs: rent or mortgage, health insurance, energy, insurances and subscriptions. What is left goes to daily spending and saving. The calculator shows how your money splits over these groups and how much you can put aside each month, so you can see where adjustments make the biggest difference.
- Tips for a Dutch budgetKeep a buffer of three to six months of fixed costs for unexpected bills, and remember the once-a-year costs: municipal taxes, the water board, the eigen risico of your health insurance and the holiday allowance that comes in May. Check whether you can get allowances such as healthcare or rent allowance; they count as income in your budget.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as "Insurance" here?
Health insurance premium (zorgverzekering), plus any home/contents or liability insurance. It doesn't include your AOW or pension contributions, which are already deducted from gross pay.
What should I enter if my spending varies a lot month to month?
Use a 3-6 month average per category rather than a single month, so occasional large or seasonal expenses do not skew the picture.
Sources: nibud.nl (huishoudboekje, vaste lasten richtlijnen)