According to Nibud's Money and Relationship 2018 fact sheet, 73% of Dutch men are satisfied with how their partners manage money, compared to 67% of women. Meanwhile, 9% of women feel their partner handles finances poorly. Notably, 40% of couples don't always see eye-to-eye on financial matters. Women tend to be more money-conscious: 82% check depreciation accuracy (vs. 74% of men), 61% compare prices (vs. 53%), 86% assess affordability before buying (vs. 77%), and 76% use shopping lists (vs. 64%). In 31% of couples, partners hold differing views on money management.
In 40% of couples, disagreements often center on four key areas:
Behavior: One partner feels the other spends too much or too little.
Priorities: Differing views on spending focus and importance.
Power: Who handles finances and makes decisions?
Distribution: How much each contributes and pays for what?
In nearly 70% of households, one partner manages the financial administration, including organizing documents and paying bills on time. Among couples over 50, men take this role more frequently. Emails about fixed costs—from energy providers, internet services, or insurers—go to the man's inbox twice as often. One in five couples uses a shared email, while 45% receive such messages at separate addresses.
