After all these years the time has come, you are finally 18. No more difficult parents, no compulsory education and so on. But what is actually involved now that you are 18?
To ensure
You are required to have health insurance in the Netherlands, so you must pay for it yourself from the age of 18. So look in advance for a health insurer that is cheap if you do not want to spend too much money on it! You will receive a healthcare allowance (small allowance), but you will still spend a few tens of euros every month on this. Remember, if you take a cheaper premium, less will be reimbursed in the event of an incident.
Student grants
Are you between 18 and 27 years old and are you following a full-time education (BOL)? Then in most cases you are entitled to student financing and a public transport card. Do you want to be sure what you are entitled to and how much it is? Please check the IB group website for the current information. For VAVO and regular Secondary Education there are other amounts, such as student allowance and parental allowance.
Mobile
Super handy, and who wouldn’t want the latest model to hit the market? Remember that you can now pay for your mobile subscription yourself, provided you have not agreed anything with your parents! Because internet on your mobile does cost a fixed amount per month, which you can sometimes exceed.
Savings account
From your 18th birthday you will have your own savings account, which has often already been opened by your parents. Nice to have of course! Handy to save for a new car, to live on your own later or whatever. Remember that it can also be a burden, you can usually end up in the red and debt is the last thing you want without a permanent job!
Drivers license
Even if it is now with 2 to drive that you can start lessons earlier. Actually going on the road independently in a car is still only permitted from your 18th birthday. However, do not underestimate the additional costs that driving a car entails, such as maintenance, insurance and petrol. If it is really still too expensive for your own car, see if you can perhaps share a car with (one of your) parents?
Casino
Finally you can go to the casino, where huge amounts of money can be won and you don’t have to work for the rest of your life. If only it were that easy, you are much more likely to go home empty-handed after a casino visit. It’s fun to go to the casino with friends for an evening, but be smart enough not to take a bank card or the like with you, you will regret it afterwards!
Compulsory education
Under Dutch law you are required to attend school until you are 18. Afterwards you can also choose to go to work. However, despite the fact that compulsory education is no longer applicable, it is strongly recommended to simply obtain a diploma so as not to become unemployed after a number of years.