Things Dutch people are MORE willing to pay for than Americans | US vs The Netherlands

When I started living in the Netherlands, I noticed that some things that were free in the US were not free in the Netherlands! In this video, I talk about a few things that Dutch people are more willing to pay for.
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I like to share my experiences of an American expat in the Netherlands. I describe both the unique and everyday aspects of Dutch culture, and life in Holland while enjoying every bit of it!
Blog website: www.dutchamericano.com
Instagram: DutchAmericano
Get in touch: [e-mail]
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Speaking of drinking a ton of coffee, I finally decided this summer that I wanted to have a ton of cappuccinos and lattes at home. So I bought this Nespresso machine with a milk foamer: amzn.to/2FjAIew
I have now DEFINITELY been getting my refills!
Please note: The link above is an affiliate link that may earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products I personally use and love.

[@brucewayne6224]

The fact that we pay for our bags is to help the environment, it’s something they should do in the us (in my opinion)

[@acied6200]

Actually the idea is to force people to think ahead and take a (reusable) shoppingbag from home.

[@brucewayne6224]

Bas Scheijde yeah we help the environmental by reusing them

[@concretecaviar4993]

thats the point she made right ?

[@shaunabrom8593]

I actually had a shock the other day. My husband and I went to Aldi's for the first time and they told us that bags would be a dime! It's a dime so who cares, right? Uh, when you're used to free paying for several bags seemed like the most ridiculous thing ever! I'm laughing at myself here because in my mind it was such a huge deal! We bitched all the way home about it! Now THAT'S ridiculous! We had had to pay 80 cents for bags!!! OMG! Never going there again! We've already been back twice! Haha! Just shows how expectations and one's mindset makes such difference in how things are perceived. Interesting.

[@mella8559]

When I was in the US I was shocked at how MANY free plastic bags I got at a grocery store. “Got some heavy groceries? Sure here you have even MORE bags”. It was insane. I literally had 30 free plastic bags after a week. I don’t need that many, I don’t want that many and I’m willing to pay or bring my own (which was also an issue because the baggers don’t even consider you might want to use your own bag, your stuff is in 20 plastic bags before you can say hello to the cashier)

[@WendyLopezGazquez]

Free toilets: bad for hygiene, great for hobos and drugs users. Free plastic bags: bad for nature Free refills: bad for your health and bad for the wages of the staff.

[@DutchAmericano]

Well said!

[@peepeevs]

Getting free refills is pretty awesome though

[@bli2008]

Free toilets: bad for hygiene? not always. look how clean it is in Japan, and they are everywhere

[@SoopaFlyism]

I wish their were bottomless plates. Free refills for frites or burgers. Yummm.

[@timori5290]

@@bli2008 but thats japan? Don't ever questions fcking japan. Japan is japan.

[@TTTzzzz]

In the US you also pay for your bank account. The difference is they don't tell you about it.

[@m.a.heilbron7633]

Indeed, as a former bank employee I know it is a commercial decision of a bank how to direct operational costs to the costs of service for clients. You should add all payments to your bank (for Credit Cards, Cheques, Cash money transfers, funds management and of course simple payments). Before about 2000 simple private payments are caried out for free, but it took a few days to transfer the (digital) money, giving the bank the opportunity to "invest" the money on short term money markets. So, actually now you pay for high money transfer velocity.

[@CLEnforcer]

@@m.a.heilbron7633 Here in the Netherlands its by law forbidden for banks to wait so long. They have to do it as soon as possible. If i transfer money to someone els it is on there account a second later. Even if its from difrent banks.

[@jankoevoet4042]

@@m.a.heilbron7633 Totally true ! In the USA you even pay for a new checkbook, quite a lot for bank to bank transactions, and indeed, those transactions take days, while in NL your finger leaves the enter key, the money is already transferred. Another funny thing is how in the US no one seems to be willing to give their banknumber for direct transfers, and they rather use checks, money orders or even western union (who will charge outrageous amounts). Furthermore I'll never understand this US thing against debitcards. I can get money out of most (not all) ATM's, but paying in stores is always a gamble, will they take it or not ? And even if they take it, you still cant get cashback, even with a couple of grand in the account. And finally, why are US bankaccount numbers not unified ? in the whole EU the numbers are unique, but to transfer money in the US, you first have to find the routing number, which can be quite a pain. Oh wait, here's a nice one: Me, at TurkeyHill, not in the best part of town: "Can i have a 400 $ Money order please ?" Girl, with quite a loud voice: "A 400 $ money order you said?" Me, pissed off: "Can you repeat that even louder ? I think they didn't hear you in the back".

[@marilynfernandez3279]

@@CLEnforcerthere are laws governing that as well in the US. I can transfer funds using Zelle to anyone, and the funds are in their account usually within minutes and the funds are immediately a available for them to use.

[@dutchgamer842]

@@CLEnforcer That imdiate transfer isn't a law. It's done by DNB and the Dutch banks. It should be within a certain time, but not emediatly. DNB and the Dutch banks made it imdiate, the government does not enforce it

[@rogerwilco2]

About the bank accounts: It used to be "free" in the Netherlands until about 25 years ago. The costs were incorporated into transactions, ATM withdrawals and such. The government forced banks to be more transparent and as a result ATMs are free, but you pay for having an account.

[@NathanHaaren]

In that case I suggest you go create a Bank account at Argenta in Belgium, they have free accounts I've never paid for having my accounts, I only pay when my balance gets below €0 (but I've blocked that, so that only happens when i use my mastercard/visa)

[@bobbas7]

@@NathanHaaren There are actually a lot of services connected to having a bank account in the Netherlands. Opening one in another country would bar you from using those. One of those services is IDEAL, which is how the majority of all online payments is done. We’ve got one of the better payment networks without a lot of hidden costs.

[@Occaecare]

I don't have the exacts but apart from not having to pay for your bank account you would also receive interest (depending on the bank and your balance). The European Central Bank froze the interest rate at 0% to maintain the inflation rate or some such. This also contributed to the fact that it would cost the bank money to pay interest to the customer. Currently I live in Germany where a standard account at for example Deutsche Bank would cost me €10 per month but an account with a virtual bank would be free.

[@jimjungle1397]

@@NathanHaaren I was a student from America in Belgium 25 years ago and had a bank account there. I don't remember the bank.

[@theamazingfuzzy5913]

Did you know that in public restrooms in the netherlands theres almost always a list when the last time was when the place was cleaned. It's usually multiple times a day.

[@patricklambrecht380]

You pay for restrooms for the cleaningperson, I've spent a few hours on Dallas airport a while back and it was ff-ing disgusting: poop on the walls, used toiletpaper on the ground everywere, ugh. So yeah, I'm happy to pay a few cents to keep things clean.

[@Rob2]

That "refills" concept would be difficult to maintain here in the Netherlands due to a slightly different mentality of the Dutch. When being in the USA I noticed that at they typical hamburger restaurant you can get your drinks in small, medium and large. But the refills are free. That would never work here! The Dutch would be quick to notice that a small drink costs less than a large, and you can refill it 5 times instead of a single time for the large. So the restaurant would only sell small drinks. That is just how the Dutch think, and the restaurants will have to deal with that. On the other hand, when you get a small soft drink here you get your actual 0.2 L of product (and like 0.33 L for a medium or 0.5 L for a large), while in the USA you get a glass full of crushed ice with some product sprinkled inbetween. I think that is not such a good deal either!

[@ConsciousAtoms]

I habitually ask for "no ice". The stuff is cold already so the ice is redundant anyway. And I agree about the small soft drink - I did just that, although I felt a bit guilty about the refills :).

[@jolanda.c]

That. But it is also a tax thing. It has to be paid about the value of the stuff you give away. Every liter gives 4/5 servings of soda. If your sales are much lower, they charge it anyway as predicted profit. The Tax services don't give you anything.

[@dutchgamer842]

The sizes you sunmed up are at Dutch McDonald's, at Burger King they are larger, (mostly) I've been to a Burger King once and asked the largest Cola, it was only 0.5L, normally it's 0.8 or so

[@jimjungle1397]

The places with drink sizes normally don't have free refills. Some restaurants are owned by drink companies though. Pizza Hut is owned by Pepsi and has one size, large drink, with ice and free refills. Burger King has self serve drink fountains, but refills are not allowed. Usually it's coffee that has free refills, because it sits a coffee pot all day going stale and has to be changed out anyway.

[@Rob2]

I think in general, people here a more aware that never anything is free. The cost of free things has to be recovered through other means. In Europe (this is not really particular to the Netherlands), both people and governments prefer that cost structure is clear and transparent, and you do not get things "for free" and involuntarily pay for them in some other way. Also, some pricing is imposed to influence behavior. E.g. the mandatory pricing of bags at supermarkets and other outlets was introduced to motivate people to get their own reusable bag and take that with them when they go shopping, instead of getting a free plastic bag an throwing it away after use.

[@DutchAmericano]

And of course, generally everything in the US is more expensive.

[@GerarddeVries]

As a Dutch person temporarily living in NY I noticed that something looks free but you pay for it another way. Bank accounts are a good example. I just made an international transfer and that cost me a $35 handling fee. Plastic bags in NY are indeed no longer free since May 30. They now cost 5 cents. I must say that before they started asking money for them people used insane amounts of bags. Not only that but the staff would almost always double bag them. Never seen that anywhere.

[@micheltibon8872]

I use Transferwise to monthly support family in Indonesia. Before that I had to pay 20 euro for each transfer and it took some days to arrive. Depending on the amount and frequency they will receive the transfer at the end of the working day.

[@Robbedem]

I had an appointment in my bank (Europe) couple of years ago, discussing the service plan for my account. I was paying 12€ per year I think and that included free money withdrawal within the EU. There was also a cheaper option 6€ per year and several more expensive ones. I flatout asked: "would it be possible to take the cheaper option now and change the plan before I go on holiday and change it back when I return?" He looked a bit confused and said:"euhm, yes." I didn't do it because I'm not a jerk, but he didn't discuss the different plans any longer. ;)

[@dutchgamer842]

@@John-lq6dv Het is een Belg, in België zetten ze het Euro teken achter het bedrag, in Nederland hoort het ervoor.

[@peetvane]

An old US saying is “their is no such thing as a free lunch”. Thing may seem free, but they never are. Like bank accounts.

[@DutchAmericano]

So true!

[@peterd6217]

TNSTAAFL, Heinlein uses it in his books

[@SandsOfArrakis]

"Voor niets gaat de Zon op" would be the Dutch version. Basically translates as the Sun rises for free. In other words the rest isn't free :)

[@icerabbit9419]

@@peterd6217 Even de decay of a Nation can be messured by the cleanness of the public rooms. Is described by Heinlein...

[@vincenzodigrande2070]

The drinks are a very large portion of the income here, which is why there are no obligatory tips for underpaid waiters/waitresses. 'het komt uit de lengte of uit de breedte'

[@keesnoort]

Since introducing a mandatory fee on shopping bags, the amount of (plastic) bags have fallen by 90%, a huge win for environment. About bank accounts: it is a bit annoying to pay for bank accounts, on the other hand, the transfers within the eurozone are for free and very fast, since instant payment is introduced it takes only a few seconds. Each bank has a pretty good app that makes banking and paying really a lot easier.

[@CuidadalLago]

Dutch people are not really willing to pay for a plastic bag, which is exactly why bags are No longer free. Paid bags were introduced to stimulatie people to bring their own bags to the store and many people do.

[@lexroet1215]

And yet I still forget to bring one most of the time

[@dutchgamer842]

I rather pay for a plastic bag than get the free paper ones. Had a discussion once at the store about it, said we can't use plastic cause of the government. That's why we use paper, I said you made that up if someone pays for it you can use plastic bags. More people agreed and were willing to pay for a plastic bag. Paper bags are shit. However if they let you pay, they should at least have bags made out of the same material as grocery store bags and not those one time use bags

[@c128stuff]

Sometimes I know I'll be needing a plastic bag for something, and have to remind myself getting one.. as I always use my backpack for shopping.. much easier to carry around and keeps your hands free.

[@noahsoet9761]

Basically you just explained that people in the us don’t want to pay a fair amount for a simple service

[@joppepeelen]

but they have to tip the waitress big time or she/he does not get any money... so here they get a wage :)

[@gymnasiastcj]

Hi! I studied hospitality management, and the reason why you sometimes (certainly not always) have to pay for tapwater is because although the water is almost for free, you are still sitting at a nice table, there is probably music, the radiators are on and there is a person serving you and trying to give you a nice time. All those things cost money. If guests were to drink free tapwater instead of buying a drink, restaurant wouldn't be able to keep the business running. Sometimes companies also donate part of their revenue on tapwater to a charity.

[@Theseus1989]

Don’t forget that we don’t expect a tip in the Netherlands. We earn it with how we do our job. If the guest is willing to pay a little extra they can. If they don’t feel like paying more then that’s fine as well.

[@olevandongen96]

Bank accounts used to be free in the Netherlands. Part of that was because there was a bank that was run by the postal services that didn´t charge for services, so if you didn´t want your customers to run away, you had better offer the same services for the same amount as that bank. Then it got privatized, and here we are...

[@frankhooper7871]

I've lived in the UK since 1974 - lived in California for 20 years prior. (1) _Most_ public toilets here are free, but I will say that the one in Stratford-upon-Avon (where I did have to pay) was spotlessly clean. I'd much rather pay for a clean loo than have a filthy one free. (2) Bank accounts her are mostly free - back when interest rates were higher, it was common even to get a small amount of interest on your chequing account). (3) Tap water at a café still has a cost to the establishment. There is a wage cost for the server to pour & serve it; the glass still has to be washed. (4) I will certainly state that we see many fewer discarded carrier bags since the charge was introduced. Most of us have got used to it and always carry a re-usable bag. (5) Refills? Why do Americans consider this sensible? If you're still hungry after eating a sandwich, you don't expect another one free! I will say that pre-1974 (when I left California) you only got free refills for coffee - definitely not for soft drinks.

[@problu9586]

Guess I'm showing my age, but I remember when public toilets in the USA often required a quarter or 2 to access.

[@markovermeer1394]

We are willing to pay for much more things, like infrastructure, social security and quality healthcare for everyone.

[@ceyhunmavzer5375]

'willing'

[@dutchgamer842]

No one wants, just leftwingers. If someone needs health care they pay insurance, it has been like that in the Netherlands since 2006. They ebolished the "ziekenfonds", it's better now.

[@markovermeer1394]

@@dutchgamer842 You are mistaken. Since 2006 you can pay for some additional extras, like dental coverage.

[@dutchgamer842]

@@markovermeer1394 No, I'm not before 2006 there was extra insurance. In 2006 Ziekenfonds was ebolished and everyone in the Netherlands has ziektenkostenverzekering. That's totally diffrent. www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/zorgverzekering www.zorgwijzer.nl/zorgverzekering-2017/10-jaar-marktwerking-in-de-zorg-vloek-of-zegen

[@Ronny_van_Gerwen]

In the Heuvelgalerij in Eindhoven they charge 50cents for the restrooms. I ALWAYS pay € 2,- because they keep it very clean.

[@peterkeijsers489]

#1: the few cents you pay for public restrooms are spent on cleaning and sanitizing material for the restrooms. #2: actually you pay a small amount for the use of a bank account in several countries. I've lived in Mexico, for example, and had to pay MXN 5000 (+/- $250) for opening an account there. In Germany, Belgium and France as well you pay for a bank account. #3: you do pay for tap water at home as well. Aside from rent you pay for gas, water and electra in a separate bill.

[@metalvideos1961]

Opening a bank account here it's free. Never have I payed for a bank account

[@peterkeijsers489]

@@metalvideos1961 Opening an account in the Netherlands may be free, but then you pay a monthly fee for using it.

[@jimmytomo370]

We might pay for our bankaccounts. But we do not pay fees for using ATM's...... each time. :) whether it's a machine you've got your account with, or a different bank.

[@WilliamsWorldView]

For all the "free things" don't you pay with tips? We don't have a tipping culture here. Everything is paid for, but you're not required to tip.. So, I don't think the things in the US (never been there) are actually 'free', they're just 'unregulated' so to speak, as you do pay for them in your tips. Here we only tip when we feel we've gotten better service than expected. All the other things are paid for and we don't have to tip, because the serving staff already gets a decent wage. Personally I see tippingculture in the US as an insult to the servingstaff and the customers. The service staff doesnt get paid enough, so they depend on tips. So, the employer gets all the benefit of their work, but doesnt really have to pay for it, and the serving stadd only gets paid enough if they excell in their work and get enough tips. The customers know this so they are forced to not only pay for the product and the service, they are also forced to buy off their guilt, because they know the servingstaff doesnt get paid enough to make a living wage, unless the customers pay enough tips. So as a customer you pay for product, service and not feeling guilty Tips should be a bonus for good works. I'm happy to pay for the product, the refills, the water and the restroom use, as I know the employees are paid enough and the facilities I use are clean. It's a fair trade. If I then feel I have gotten more than expected then I pay a tip to restore the balance. I really don't understand American tipping culture. But feel free to explain it in a vid and compare it to NL

[@renefrijhoff2484]

As opposite to Japan where tipping is even a big insult to the staff.

[@samknetsch]

in restaurants in Netherland you do tip +- 10%

[@WilliamsWorldView]

@@samknetsch No. Only if the service is above what is expected. If the service is average, no tip is required

[@samknetsch]

Williams World View I’m a Dutch people mostly it come down to make the bill round, and I have travel much around Europe so I’m used to tip 10%

[@WilliamsWorldView]

@@samknetsch I understand people are used to tip. And when people do tip, I know that the 10% is a decent average. Being Dutch myself, I also know it's not a requirement. The Dutch are known as being 'stingy' or 'cheap', but I see it is as only normal to get extra service if you're going to spend extra money. When we're going to make tipping the norm, then restaurant owners will act on that and we're going to get "Amerikaanse toestanden" which I don't necessarily view as a good thing

[@Sijbout]

I rather pay for every cup of coffee and get a good cup of coffee instead of some watery brown liquid. 😉

[@truusjenskens8485]

Exactly, that stuff they call coffee in Starbucks i wouldn't drink for free at all...it tastes like very cheap coffee...i tried it once.

[@afriend9428]

Truus Jenskens *It's mud!!*

[@afriend9428]

*It's called tea!*

[@Sijbout]

We Dutch call it 'slootwater'.

[@afriend9428]

Tjeerd Massalt *Jakkes!*

[@Lillith.]

The only time I ever got mad about paying for water was when my mother had ordered fish in a restaurant and after taking a few bites she got ill because of it. The wait staff were very nice (we thought) trying to help and make her as comfortable as possible. After all was out they asked if she wanted a glass of water, my mom said yes. After all that they presented us with the bill for everything. The bad fish and water included.

[@Jan_Iedema]

Wow that’s some bad service bud. Even for European standards... that’s just rude

[@DutchAmericano]

That's awful! Yes, this is worse than the normal case...

[@merren2306]

If they pulled that crap on my mom she would probably refuse to pay the bill

[@peterstringa3350]

Which restaurant was that? Then I know I never will go there! That is totally not done! Not even in the most rude restaurant in a touristic area. I would hire a laywer and go to court. So at the end the restaurant would have to pay the bill, make apologies and accept bad reviews in local news- and socialmedia. Furthermore I would file a complaint at the government´s health organisation, Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit over this restaurant. But what I find strange is the following. By law it is the following rule. If the owner and or the staff of the restaurant offers freely and by themselves you something it is allways on the account of the restaurant. So you never have to pay and the restaurant is not even allowed to place the given product on the bill.

[@sanssheriff3829]

That's so awful! I would convince my family and friends to never go to that restaurant again. We like to pay for what we use, but in this case some hospitality would have been in order.

[@cristakampert8740]

About those toilets, I often wait until I am in the train, because there they are free. Although I feel way better when going in the station. The difference is worth it. I never have to pay for those plastic bags, I always make sure I have those cute foldable and reusable ones with me! And lots fit in my backpack anyway

[@AH-zu6xm]

What I love about American culture is that tapwater is free. It's just healthy to be able to drink water everywhere and should be seen as a right for everyone, plus it helps to fight the plastic waste. I like the thing about having to pay for plastic bags in The Netherlands since it aims for the same effect.

[@markschattefor6997]

Nothing is for free, not even in the US or especially not in the US. You may think refills are free, but some smart guy has calculated everything to a fraction of a cent, and they give you the idea that you get something for free. What is strange in the US is the fact that insuline from the same manufacturer in the same amount cost ten times as much in the US as in Canada. If you break a leg or need an ambulance for whatever reason you allready get a bill for at least $ 2000. But after all the US isn't a real country it's a business. ;-)

[@TTTzzzz]

A subject for one of your videos could be "taxation and it's rewards". The state of the US compared to the state of the Netherlands. Healthcare, social security, workers rights, unions, infrastructure, unemployment benefits, etc

[@welderella]

We are trillions in debt. Our dollar is weaker and weaker every year. Our chance to do things differently is running out.

[@welderella]

@@fvefve12 we could live on one wage, too...many are things are different.

[@TTTzzzz]

@@welderella What could help is to cut the US military budget. The US military is totally inflated and unrealistic. When was the last time the US won a war? Grenada? The US has spent trillions in the Middle East wars and they are still spending money without results. The huge US war machine lost the Vietnam war. How much money did Communist Vietnam spend to defeat the US? The US and other countries didn't win the Korean War. Money is often spent on an ill-perceived and non-existent enemy. Cutting the military budget by half will free one-quarter of the US budget to the common good. Firms like Lockheed et al could and should use their expertise to design and produce goods that are beneficial for mankind and the earth.

[@MrAronymous]

I'll gladly pay for my bank account if that means I don't get fees for a money withdrawal, can use other banks' ATMs for free, it means they have apps and services that do real time direct account to accounts transactions (or within banking day max) and it means they send a new bank card every 5 years with new safety and convenience improvements (chip and contactless). "Checks" are ancient. That said the interest rates are ridiculous at the moment.

[@bastiaan4129]

Banks make hundreds of millions in profit with your money and they don't even pay interest anymore. Even that small amount they charge for a bank account is sheer robbery.

[@josew2007]

You get free refill and that one of the reasens why a waitress in the us has to take a low paycheck. Charge people or what they get and pay a waitress a propper wage.

[@larsmeijerink5471]

Why should water be free? We do have good water but that's because its cleaned, its kost money to clean so yeah ofcourse you pay for your clean water. The restaurant shouldn't pay for your water. I love your videos keep it upp

[@ConsciousAtoms]

Tap water is really cheap. The water in one glass of water costs about 0.02 cent.

[@larsmeijerink5471]

@@ConsciousAtoms yeah just the the water is cheap but they have to make money, sins it's a business. Also the waitress have to be paid the rent of the building have to be paid and so on. They can not gif stuff away for free.

[@ConsciousAtoms]

@@larsmeijerink5471 All obviously true. And all much better reasons for letting customers pay for their water than the price of water itself. Which raises the question: why did you go with the "price of water" argument in your original post?, rather than these much better reasons that you are also aware of?

[@Sense008]

Because the restaurant or Cafe already can get the water for their taps... the quality of our tap water is payed for through taxes. A restaurant or cafe charging for it is basically charging you for the glass and the minimal effort to take it to your table. considering the prices some restaurants charge for regular tap water that is not anywhere near a fair price. Pay for bottled water? Sure! Pay for tap water? hell no. And most restaurants agree cause they won't charge you for tap water. Restaurants charging for it are just looking for extra profit for a product they did not produce, nothing more, nothing less.

[@larsmeijerink5471]

@@ConsciousAtoms because I don't get the part of letting other people pay for something you wanna have how little the amount is. Is just a principle; pay for the stuff you want.

[@MrsMijnNaamIsAnoniem]

How do restaurants make money when you get free refills all the time

[@bobosims1848]

You're right, they don't. You overpay for the food, and they pretend to give you a lot of free drinks. And then they underpay their servers, so you must add a 15% tip to your bill so the server doesn't starve to death. That's how it works in the US.

[@gusacooper]

Because our sodas come out from a gun dispenser. I’ve noticed in Europe when you order a soda you’ll get a bottle. We also have a lot less regulations when it comes to the things we add to our food/drinks. Most of the sodas in the US use high fructose corn syrup. Much cheaper than real sugar. If restaurants were losing money off refills we wouldn’t have them.

[@Linda-hs1lk]

The moment you ask for tapwater in a restaurant it's not you pay for the water but for the fact someone is actually working for you to get it.

[@bjornmmpf]

Ketchup. I am Dutch and I worked at Schiphol Airport. Everytime People from the US were angry because we charge for ketchup. I used to say: Welcome to the Netherlands!

[@33lex55]

I am sure US banks have their own way of making you pay. Just think of the Wells Fargo scam. I pay like 1.50 Euro/month, and I survive lol Also, don't forget: Credit Cards are much more common in US; that's where banks make a profit, and the seller includes HIS costs in the selling price, so, eventually, YOU pay for it, but indirectly.

[@metalvideos1961]

That's not for your bank account. People forget this.

[@ElasticbrandNet]

charging for bags gives customers an incentive to bring their own, which has a huge impact on the environment.

[@TonKroon]

Don't mistake Amsterdam for the the rest of the Netherlands. Tapwater is free, Amsterdam is one big tourist trap, so they'll charge you for it.

[@martijnzuiderduin7802]

Their hospitality is awful, in general. Tourists will come anyway. I try to avoid Amsterdam 😉

[@Pfooh]

Really? I've been charged for tap water far more in other Dutch cities than in Amsterdam! Don't confuse 'Amsterdam' with 'small section of the grachtengordel'.

[@shersmk90]

Ik moet bijna overal betalen voor mn water uit de kraan. Ook buiten Amsterdam, als ze me het al willen geven, want vaak doen ze niet eens aan water uit de kraan en moet je voor fancy water uit een bron gaan dus betalen.

[@dutchgamer842]

@@shersmk90 in sommige steden is het kraanwater gewoon smerig, dan liever betalen voor een fles water dan dat gore kraanwater

[@shersmk90]

@@dutchgamer842 Nederland heeft het zuiverste kraanwater van de wereld... Maar smaken verschillen...

[@Rob2]

Bank accounts used to be free in the Netherlands, but at that time there was a noticable interest on accounts (like 2% on payment accounts, 5% on savings accounts) and whenever you transferred money, there would be some days of interest lost (you got interest until the day before you transferred the money, and the other party would get interest from the day after they received it. The banks were supposedly making their money from that. Also, there were quite hefty rates for transferring money to other countries, and also for exchanging to other currencies which in Europe of course happens more often than in the USA. As all those things disappeared, the banks claimed they needed to make up for the loss of income and started to introduce those fixed fees for having an account. But rest assured, in the USA you are paying for your bank account as well!! How else would the banks be able to afford those highly luxurious office buildings at the most expensive spot in the city? The way you pay for them is just well-hidden, as it used to be here too. Maybe it is clearer when you just pay per month and know what the amount is.

[@DutchAmericano]

I'm getting used to the Dutch system of knowing what you're paying for, for sure! And I didn't know that about Dutch banks previously.

[@TimTheMain]

I'm dutch and I pretty much always drink tap water in the Netherlands and I never had to pay for it. Maybe this is just a thing in tourist areas of Amsterdam?

[@royklein9206]

When a nr.2 knocks on the door, you'll pay any amount with a smiling (though slightly contorted) face!!

[@Lowlanders]

Refills in the US are a big reason why waitresses earn little money.

[@SoopaFlyism]

But they get tips! I want refills in NL. At least a lot of places offer a 2e kopje gratis now.

[@dutchgamer842]

@@SoopaFlyism Five Guys also has the refill for free in the Netherlands

[@HVG67]

And it contributed to all the morbidly obese people.

[@dutchgamer842]

@@HVG67 that's the individuals own problem, no one else

[@dutchgamer842]

@@HVG67 you're a leftwing socialist that votes PVV or SP since you are on about other people's health and what they do.

[@evel.6024]

Flashback to my vacation in America where I took my first sip of the free water and made my travel partner laugh her ass off by pulling a weird face. I had not expected that taste and I didn't get used to it. I'm so happy with our tapwater.

[@VaneezyTV]

& I live in Austin, so we pay for our bags, it's been like this here for about 7 years.

[@jay_tesst]

I think it's the interpretation of what is free (Hi by the way Dutch dude here). The bank thing all sounds great, but we pay that amount monthly, so we don't pay for any handling fees, we can deposit money and withdraw without a surcharge, and our interest rates at banks are usually much lower (when lending money) and we used to be able to actually get some interest on our debit at the bank (however nowadays that is hardly the case). Also, the reason you pay for your bank account is a measure taken to prevent fraud (although it doesn't really work that well). The water quality in The Netherlands is equal to the water quality of bottled water, having said that we do actually pay for the tap water, we have Water meter and you get charged x amount a month depending on the amount of water you use. In case of the €1,50 charge for a glass of tap water, that is just daylight robbery. The restroom thing actually used to be free, AND with cleaning. However, due to legislation changing you now have to pay up to 60 cents (depending on the type and location of the restroom) so they get cleaned, they sometimes also include a shower stall (although these are rare) and facilities to easily change your kids diaper should you need to. Also in a lot of public restrooms, the charge is waved if you can show you purchased something (at for example McDonald's or something else). I'd rather actually pay for a clean toilet than have a chance at something from a (cheap) horror movie. Bags, they used to be free, they changed that as a measure to save the environment. The Dutch hardly use(d) paper bags for their groceries or any other shopping. Some say this is because of the often humid (and rainy) climate, and water and paper bags don't mix. Refills, well, that's just consumerism at it's worst I guess. Also, tipping isn't expected (or almost obligatory) like in the US. So you pay extra, but you do so to support the waiting staff.

[@jimjungle1397]

Public restrooms in the US used to charge with coin operated stalls, mainly in large public buildings, including transport hubs. There were some court cases that didn't ban the practice, but made it so difficult, that it was decided to make them free of charge. Some US bank accounts have charges, especially small amount bank accounts. In Norway it is the law, that water is free of charge if requested, even from a non-paying customer. The US now charges for plastic bags, but paper bags are not charged, even in stores other than Giant. Europe started using plastic bags before the US, that had only paper bags. Canada banned water fountains that have coolers, due to the possibility of bacteria developing in the cooler tanks.

[@WendyLopezGazquez]

Well at least in The Netherlands you do not go broke because you need healthcare.

[@dutchgamer842]

If you see the news people actually get in trouble for medi care, cause of the insurance system combined with eigen bijdrage

[@blazn0]

The health care in the Netherlands is getting worse every year.

[@lindaraterink6451]

and getting in debt, because you can not afford aditional insurance, wich mostly doesn't even cover 100%, because you can't work, because your're chronical ill, is not a problem in the Netherlands? Our healthcare is good compared to the U.S., but is not great either.

[@gitjoziasse526]

We pay at least €380, 00 own risk and monthly about € 170 for healthcare.....

[@carinbarkhuijsen6572]

Precies

[@korab.2938]

7:09....USA Colleges also provide water fountains (filtered water)

[@70ed81]

In the past ("70-"80) there were cleaning ladies sitting at a small table at the entrance of public restrooms,and was considered a Job,each restroom-user paying 25 cents,I think that's why the Dutch are used to pay for using them.

[@JanTenWoldeEnschede]

About water being free in the USA: if I remember well, tapwater is free in the USA as well? Not that that makes a lot of difference because in the Netherlands a 1000 liters water at home only costs 2,50 euro, but it says something about the cultural differences between the USA and NL.

[@c128stuff]

You pay for bags (or re-use one you already have, which is part of the point of having to pay for them).. but you do not get nasty surprises like sales tax and what not slapped onto the bill (ie, you pick a number of articles in the US, go to the counter, and what you pay is always the sum of the prices of those + sales tax, whereas in the Netherlands (and actually most of the world) you just pay the total of the prices for those articles, no surprises, no hidden cost etc.

[@RacingPepe]

You can pay for restrooms through your wireless bank card, so all you really need to do is tap the card and the gates open and it charges the €0,50 automatically. Also, you usually get a ticket worth €0,50 that you can use in the shop after you're done. So restrooms usually are free in the end.

[@davidferris6057]

When I moved from Houston to Eindhoven in 1968 (yes, I'm that old), I had been used to service station attendants who would fill the tank, check tire pressure, and wash the windshield for the cost of the gas. It was expected in the Netherlands that a small amount for the attendant (kwartje?) was appropriate. By the way, for any old timers like me, what was the "American" hamburger restaurant just off the highway between Eindhoven and Amsterdam? Rick's Drive-In? I recall great orange milkshakes and the option to add ham and pineapple to the burgers.

[@narangah8707]

Bank accounts in the Netherlands also were always free, until the very low interest rates came along after the 2008 crisis. Only as from then banks started to find ways to cover the costs they could no longer in normal operations with interest differences.

[@litchtheshinigami8936]

Well the bank account i sort of understand nowdays because they do need to keep up certain stuff most of our banking is digital and trough an app on our phone soo i’d guess it makes sense that you’d pay because they want to keep up the services with the app and everything surrounding it

[@myrrhsense]

In the Netherlands, we have an alternative to water fountains. In a lot of public places like downtown cities, or near public transport stations we have these water tap points with clear drinking water you can fill you own bottle with.

[@irisachternaam]

A lot of the public restrooms are small 'private businesses' separate from the shop they're in. Those cents are all the toilet lady takes home as pay, more often than not. It can be hundreds of euros or just twenty bucks. of the 70 cents you pay at the train stations, 50 cents can be used as a discount at the Kiosk.

[@Nynke_K]

I've seen one of those drinking fountains in the Netherlands and it was at Schiphol airport :)

[@boeruhhh46]

10 years ago for using bags in the stores, are free too in the Netherlands

[@ElasticbrandNet]

in the US, checking accounts also have monthly fees, which are waived only if you hold a minimum balance or get your paycheck deposited in them for example. Then, n the uS you have INSANE atm fees, which we don't have in the NL

[@JohnVanRaak-yx6cb]

First time in the US I ordered a medium milkshake. It was large. Apart from that they also served a can with twice that amount for refill.

[@mistrants2745]

Refills?! What the hell, how does that make sense at all :'). I payed for a cup of coffee, not for 20435123 cups of coffee right? (also really unhealthy when it comes to soft drinks). Wait do refills apply to alcoholic beverages???

[@afriend9428]

Mist Rants *Unfortunatly wine and beer costs extra like they do here!* 👎

[@siencerealist9617]

I remember one time i was in the US the waitress was highly confused when i declined a refill she offered. 'but it's free!'... I Just had my fill of the chlorynated soda taste :p

[@myrrhsense]

Burger King does refills in the Netherlands as well, but I noticed that the sodas are way more expensive. What you pay for 1 soda at a refill burger King, you can get at least 2 for at McDonald's

[@mistrants2745]

@@myrrhsense Not in my town. Bin to burger king plenty of times and ive never refilled my soda haha.

[@afriend9428]

myrrhsense *Which BK in Holland does refills?!? Utrecht and Eindhoven tell you to get out when you ask for one* 💡

[@JohnVanRaak-yx6cb]

Regarding bags: just buy some durable bags once, they have them at every supermarket and last for many years. NEVER take the single use bags. How complicated is this stuff?

[@chuysbitch]

I bank with US Bank and there's a $5 a month service fee on each account so it's even more expensive for this American!

[@Menulo]

In most patrol station shops you get a ticket that gives you a discount for the amount that you pay for the bathroom, usually like 50c. So its free as long as you get something.

[@96quinj]

A few years ago the plastic bags where free in the Netherlands as well. The government decided by law thst the plastic should cost atleast 10 cents or something. Some companies switsched to paper bags, other started charging for them. For me it was a hige deal as well to start paying for, what was once free. However it makes me reused old bags way more often so it really helps!

[@Waldo5134]

Hello Eva, just a quick remark regarding the bank account payments. It is a general service fee which entitles you to use all the amenities that come with the account, meaning that transferring money or going to an ATM is free of charge whereas in the US you get charged per transaction.

[@erikmulder2574]

Oops, forgot the free water in restaurants. The earning model of a restaurant is small profit on food and large,profit on drinks. When you give water for free, there will be less drinking of wines and sodas. So for that reason, you pay for table water to avoid you drinking water only.

[@Yerdiss]

The price for bags is a government ruling, to battle the waste problem. (Plastic bags were causing massive problems for fish in the North Sea, which is a major economic risk for our fishing industry). That's actually a very recent thing. About the bank accounts, I always assumed it was just the bank not wanting to dish out a dime for the costs involved, charging us for that. Funny to hear that in the US, it's different. About water: restaurants and bars are _not allowed_ to charge for tap water, but they can charge for mineral water. So if you just ask for "water", you'll get mineral water and a bill. If you explicitly ask for "tap water", that must be free. If they charge you for it, you can point it out and say you're not paying for tap water. You might get a dirty look, though. But really, they're just trying to rip you off. So let them have their stink eye, as long as they scratch the tap water bill. The refill is interesting. I reckon that if you would try a "free refill" here, you'd get these people that engage in endless discussions with the waiters about: "well, if I only drink one cup, why don't you just cut the price for me? It's not right that I pay as much as that guy, and he drinks three times as much. If I want only one cup and you charge that guy three euros for three cups, why can't I just pay one euro for one cup?" So instead restaurants and bars just charge two or three euro for every cup, and make drinks to be their main profit margin. Also, the Netherlands is heavily influenced by a Calvinistic mindset, which taught people that indulgence is bad: If one cup slakes your thirst, you don't need a second. Paying for the WC is more of a social contract, really. It began -- like mentioned in the comments before -- as a tip for the toilet-cleaning person (in those days, toilet-lady). They would often sit near the entrance and there would be this saucer (coffee-cup saucer) on the table. People would leave a "kwartje" on the saucer when they entered a WC. When someone left the WC, it'd be cleaned soon after. Even if the cleaning person was away, maybe on their lunch break, most people would still leave a coin, because "it's the right thing to do". The cleaning personnel were real. You often saw their face. You saw their work. And you could trust you had a clean seat. It is them you pay. All places that ask for money, are based on that same social contract: there's a cleaning person that's looking after the WC and you leave a coin for them.

[@asphalthedgehog6580]

We have minimum wages here. Someone has to pay for that. Many restrooms are exploited by specialised companies. Of course you have to pay for that. There is no such thing as free plastic bags. Someone has payed for them, so the customer pays anyway. So when you sit down at a restaurant, order water and expect it to be free and leave? It would be very busy, and you're occupying a seat. Tips are not that normal over here, so who pays the bill? 15% over €0.00 = ?

[@MyTubeSVp]

Oh, and about water. I’m not sure the same thing applies to the Netherlands, but in Belgium the law says that, when someone comes to your house and asks for drinking water, it is mandatory you give it.

[@worldexplorer3607]

The Dutch are in general not willing to pay for some services. When they changed the free bank accounts into a payed service we complained for several weeks and after that we had other more important things to complain ( thats what we do best) about and reluctantly accepted the new system that we had to pay for a service. Same goes for plastic bags in shops...we complain and carry on after a while. Remember that a Dutch person who isn't complaining is either sick or dead. Regarding the free water: Some years ago I did work in a bar and Dutch people have the tendency ( depends on age ) to choose a beverage that will last a long time. A couple who both only had a cup of tea while enjoying live music..so several hours..was not unusual. Imagine that you would give the water for free. A full bar of people drinking water, so there goes the revenue. A good example how cheap we as a nation have been in general for a long time, however it is changing a bit these days. 30 years ago we had to pay for our (bad) coffee at work, now the employer need to provide the employee water, coffee etc for free. We are famous for our cheapness in Europe. Go to a market in a tourist area and what you will hear is, "Kijken kijken niet kopen". I did see the a comment about paying here for ketchup and mayonaisse at BK and McDonalds. Also here we complain but accept it. When they would charge you for ketchup in the US at a fast food restaurant my guess is that people will start protesting and avoiding that company forcing the company to give it again for free.

[@marcovtjev]

All the cheapskates were at the postbank anyway. And when that changed, the writing had been at the wall like forever.

[@hesselkosmeijer5701]

Hi Eva, compare the service between the money transfer system and easiness of paying and getting money between the us and over here, do i need to explain ??

[@marioramon2010]

Hi i have 2 questions is there any water fountains Like amsterdamm? Is there any platics bags or papers bags like Albert hein ?

[@DennisLongstream]

The Dutch also find it strange that they have to pay for a bank account. The bank makes money with our money, so why do we still have to pay monthly?

[@PvdBMr]

On the bank accounts. The Dutch banking system is based on a debet system, while the US is based on a credit system. The credit system makes the bank money because people have to pay (high) interest rates when they are not able to pay their credit card debts. This does occur in a debet system, because money you don't have you cannot spend. So to keep the banking system up to date you pay a fee per account.

[@jaschadonath]

Bank accounts used to be free here as well. It changed 10 to 20 years ago. Usually you don't pay for water, only if you have nothing else to drink. Maybe in Amsterdam? I think it's really rare to pay for tap water. Paying for plastic bags is fairly new. It is introduced to avoid the use and waste of plastic.

[@nienke7713]

In Dutch we have the idiom "voor niets gaat de zon op" which translates to "for nothing, the sun rises" i.e. "only the sun rises for free"; It's used to say that everything (except the sun rising) costs money, one way or another, and if something is "free", it just means you're paying the cost in some other way. We tend to be a bit suspicious if something is free/discounted, and we also don't like to pay for things we don't want/need/use trough hidden costs. Free toilets? Either it's covered by taxes, and/or by price increases from the business that runs/hosts the sanitary facilities, and/or by lower hygienic standards. (also charging may help reduce the amount of traffic the toilets get for things they're not intended for...) Free bank account? They probably give you less interest for money you have and charge higher interest for taking credit; transaction fees may be another way they charge you. The service could also just be less good and it may take longer or be more of a hassle to transfer money. Free water? The food/service/product is probably more expensive to compensate (here in the NL restaurants often get a significant portion of their profit from drink sales), and/or it is covered by taxes. Free bags? Again, you'll probably just pay a bit extra for your groceries (also: not too long ago it became mandated by law to charge for plastic bags as a measure to reduce plastic waste; Dutch people don't like paying for things they don't really need/want, so if you charge even a little, a lot more people will try to remember to bring a bag, or take their groceries home without it. Non-plastic bags may still be offered for free.) Free refills? Same as with water, as well as you probably paying more for that infinite cup (similar to all you can eat restaurants, they count on the majority of people eating/drinking less than what they're paying for). Also it seems drinks in the US come served with tons of ice taking up space in the cup, so one cup might contain even less than you think, and from what I've seen the US uses soda fountains extensively, where a concentrate is mixed with the local water; my mum visited the US before I was born, and one thing she still remembers and talks/complains about is how the soda tasted of chlorine due to the local water being chlorinated. For coffee, they have pots of drip coffee on hotplates which causes the coffee to taste burned and gross, so they're probably happy to get rid of it and still charge you for it.

[@NaomiClareNL]

Tapwater isn't free because it cost quite a bit of money to get it to you, particularly in the west. Pump up too much sweet water in Holland and Zeeland and salt water will replace the sweet water. Elsewhere pump up too much and agriculture suffers through low groundwater. Therefore a number of water infiltration plants have been build in the dunes just to supply the half of the country living in the west of the country. These infiltration plants can be found near Den Haag, Leiden en Haarlem with river water being pumped from the rivers in the middle of the country via large diameter pipes to the infiltration plants. As you are finding out, putting a price on something makes you more aware of the cost of things.

[@Johanna-Rogier-Awad]

I am a Dutch American. You have to pay for using the toilet because the toilet will be clean. Also i have to pay monthly for using my bank account if it is below a certain amount, it is much more in the US then in the Netherlands.

[@Salsaholic1978]

I always understood that the fee for using a public restroom is a small contribution towards the costs of running it in the first place and keeping it clean afterwards. It also stimulates the people to appreciate it exists and to not leave a mess upon leaving.

[@mathijsvorstman5175]

It’s also the people who work in the cafe or shop that you pay for. If you ask for tap water someone has to get it, clean the glass etc. That’s how people get paid normal wages. In stead of getting hardly any salary and only getting tips.

[@anniek4681]

Free water is changing. Near train stations there are now "waterpunten" (waterpoints) There you can fill your waterbottles for free.

[@truusjenskens8485]

In my city we also have free watertaps everywhere, they work 24 hr for free.

[@myrrhsense]

Also, plastic bags used to be free in the Netherlands not that long ago. But they changed the law, due to the environment. Some stores don't even sell plastic bags anymore. The only place you can now get free plastic bags is at markets.

[@peterluttik]

When we moved to the USA we were shocked by the high overdraft fees. Dutch bank accounts used to be free and allowed reasonable overdrafts only charging interest rather then blocking your account and charging $30. Banks made money out of things like slow transfers between accounts, which could take several days. With electronic banking the number of accounts started to rise: accounts for hollidays or school expenses or business became common leading to many more accounts. EU regulation required more transparency in the fees for all of this to promote competition. Rather then the traditional hidden costs. That led to charges for accounts and things like print outs of transactions.

[@MacXpert74]

About paying for your bankaccount; the answer is easy. In America people tend to buy most of their things with credit cards. Banks will always charge you for giving you credit. So with every transaction your bank will earn a little bit. In the Netherlands people generally don’t buy on credit. We normally only use debit cards. There is no cost involved for customers with money transactions using debit cards. So the bank needs to charge an amount for holding the account and supplying the customer with pay services.

[@maidaerdenhout]

It is to keep them clean , that's why, Tap water has to get to your table , right , so the waiters can live as well

[@pim1234]

Ahold Delhaize is AH, and they own a lot of companies. But they started with one small shop in Zaandam

[@peterluttik]

We used to have free bathrooms esp in petrol stations. When Shell and others introduced payment in the 1990s they also had someone to take care of the bathroom. So it created a low skill job and improved hygiene

[@breaky73]

Having lived in Asia for more than 13 years, I do get irritated sometimes when coming back to the Netherlands and going to the restaurants. But to be honest, also in Asia, sometimes the toilets are not free, sometimes the water is not free and refills don't exist (not in my part of Asia anyway). Plastic bags are free here also, unfortunately and that is a big issue. I think what irritates me in the Netherlands is the high price for drinks, not so much the food. Local food can be cheap but for western food the prices are roughly similar as the Netherlands. Bottled water, soda and beer is much cheaper though, even if you drink from restaurants. Lastly I am not always impressed by the restaurant service in the Netherlands. And oh yes, we also pay for our bank accounts here so that is not exclusive to the Netherlands.

[@jerryw5508]

What about ice in the soft drinks. I also like that when I got a coffee in the NL, you get a little cookie. Mostly happen in the small mom and pop shops. I miss the NL. My parents did not teach Dutch to my sister and I. I dad from Vlissengen spoke high dutch and my mother was from Groningen spoke a different style of dutch.

[@Deckzwabber]

It's so interesting and refreshing to hear about living in Amsterdam and the Netherlands from a different perspective. On a side note: There are actually free drinking water tapping points at many train and bus stations. And in some city parks too. But you probably have to know what they look like in order to recognize them. They are designed to fill your bottle, not to drink straight out of. They might have been decommissioned temporarily in order to help prevent the spread of the corona virus, but in the last couple of years many have been installed all over the country.

[@FLAPDROL26]

Minimum wages in the US are about $7.50 an hour and over here $11.50. So I think that's the difference between a sanitary cleaner in the Netherlands and one in your home country. It's mutch cleaner sinds we have to pay. And sometimes quite dominant cleaners take good care of what happens in 'their' restrooms.

[@michaelrobinson1945]

At Albert Hijn I had to pay 1 Euro for the plastic bag, but it was a high quality bag and I used it a number of times. At MacDonalds you have to pay 1 Euro for the little packets of catsup or mayo. Jeez, here we grab a handful and don't use half of them.

[@NathanHaaren]

In Belgium, Quick and Burgerking (and sometimes Pizza Hut) have free refills, its self service soda machine, they just dont tell people its free refill so only thirsty people go refill

[@in551125do]

Ever wondered why there are water-fountains to be found everywhere in the US....? try drinking tap water......

[@xSCHEF]

In the Netherlands the water is so good bottle companies little tap up tapwater and swim in money.

[@Pleezath]

@@xSCHEF true, not all though.

[@thesiren6620]

Leaded or chlorinated take your pick.

[@Pleezath]

@@thesiren6620 sounds healthy and delicious

[@josew2007]

Simpel everybody has to pay for water. Also the restaurant has to pay the waterbill. Imagine the bill on a year base for a restaurant if they would give water for free for all.

[@Scarletcroft]

I remember there used to be cleaning ladies sitting with a ceramic tip bowl or just a tip jar if the cleaning lady left, in the public restrooms. I haven't seen these ladies or bowls in a very long time. But it was common to drop money in the bowl before using the toilet.

[@MableM1985]

I've paid for my bank account in NYC for years now. I also joined a credit union, and they still take out $2 a month, which is less than Chase Manhattan and Citibank.

[@ninao8460]

To answer your question about the wages (3:35) I don't think the wages get higher because of the fees, since you know, our minimum wage is actually enough to live off :P But I do think there are a lot more places where you can use the bathroom, because the fees do bring in enough money to make it profitable. Also the toilets at the train stations, shopping centers, and a lot of gas stations all have the same system where you pay 70 cents but you receive a 50cent coupon, so it's only 20 cents if you were planning on buying something anyways.