The Savings Account: 'In one fell swoop I had 13,000 euros in savings'

How much money do you have in your savings account? We ask a different Dutch person every week. Because although we talk more and more about money, we never talk about how much exactly we earn and save.

This week in De Spaarrekening : Tanja (34) suddenly had 13,000 euros in savings.

Name: Tanja (34) Occupation: self-employed copywriter Net salary: variable, approximately 4000 euros Living situation: single, rental property

“At the moment I have just over 17,000 euros in my savings account.”

“Happy is an understatement. You could say I’m euphoric, haha. I’ve come a long way. What’s more: last year around this time I was still 5,000 euros in the red. I’m a self-employed person and had a burn-out. Because I wasn’t fully insured, I had to rely on my savings to make ends meet. When that ran out, I had to use my savings for the tax authorities – money that I normally put aside for income tax. I knew that I would build up a debt because of this, and although it was ‘only’ 2,000 euros, you have to earn it back. The fact that I succeeded really feels like a victory to me.”

“Working hard, at first. And living as cheaply as possible. I didn’t buy new clothes, didn’t meet up with friends. Or well, I did meet up, but at home, for example. Or I went for a walk with a friend. I also cut back severely on groceries and only chose jobs that paid well. That was also my pitfall before my burnout, that I said yes to everything, even the things that I didn’t get paid much for. Now I have more time for myself and I only choose what I like and what I earn well from. A win-win.”

“By putting aside more tax money than necessary. I put aside 35 percent of my income every month. Quite a lot, but better too much than too little. Of that 35 percent, I only had to pay 4,000 euros to the tax authorities this year. And that while I had set aside more than 17,000 euros. In other words: in one go I had 13,000 euros in savings! Thanks to my accountant, who managed to get all kinds of benefits out of it. Moreover, I earned less last year, and then you apparently have more left. I am using that 'savings method' again for this year - according to my own calculations, I should already have around 5,000 euros in savings. That will probably be higher in the end .”

"For the first time in a long time, I feel calm about money. Not that I'm suddenly super rich, but I do have control and that gives freedom. Especially as a self-employed person, where your income can always fluctuate, it feels good to have a buffer."

"Only when it's really necessary, like last year, when I had no income because of my burnout. But since then I've promised myself: when I earn money again, I'll save smart and only spend what's really necessary."

"No debts, fortunately, not even a credit card. I deliberately don't have the latter, because I know that I would easily overstep my boundaries."

"Sometimes I still do groceries. I try to live as cheaply as possible, but healthy food is expensive. Plus: if I'm tired, I still order a takeaway. That adds up."

"Although I'm doing well now in terms of savings, I would like to live a little more lavishly again. Buy clothes again without feeling guilty. Or just get 1000 euros and go shopping with it. On the other hand: this sober life has given me a lot. So for now I'm trying to keep that up a bit."

“Structurally put money aside, preferably too much, especially if you are self-employed. And: hire a good accountant. Mine arranged my tax return really favorably. A tax benefit here, a deduction there… that saved a lot of money. Thanks to him, I had to pay much less than I had expected – in short, it worked out well.”

Due to privacy in combination with sensitive topics, the names are fictitious. The real names are known to the editors.

Curious about more savings stories from other readers? These previous editions of Metro ’s weekly column The Savings Account are favorites among our readers:

The Savings Account: 'I just can't seem to save structurally'

The Savings Account: 'We have a swear jar with 380 euros in it'