I did a social experiment and wore the same gray merino wool dress for 100 days. Guess what? NO ONE noticed! I of course mixed it up with different scarves, jewelery or leggings etc but it was very interesting. (I live in USA).
People very rarely see the same people every day😂 I had the one shirt and I coincidentally always ran into the same friend while wearing it. He did ask if I only had one shirt😂
Do you think the much older generation had that model of being very cautious and frugal with everything post-World War II since it was so devastating for so many in Europe?
I am a Canadian who has lived in the Netherlands for more than 25 years. In watching this video I have come to realise how “zuinig” I have become since living here. I recently spent 9 weeks in Toronto and I noticed how I have changed in terms of my spending. My Dutch frugality habits were in my mind as I visited Starbucks, Timmie’s (the Canadian equivalent) and fast food restaurants. It did seem “zonde” or a waste of money to be buying these items daily. Dutch frugality habits have made me more conscious of how much I am spending, saving and buying. Nothing wrong with being careful with money and to save it for travel, early retirement and investing in the future. I really enjoy your content and it has inspired me to live with more intention.
Hi Vera, Loved this video. We in Scotland are famous for being thrifty but our English neighbours call us mean & tight which is not accurate at all. As for the teabag situation, I drink my tea strong and black so this wouldn't work in my household. I do think we should adopt the attitude of thriftiness, especially in the times we're living in. When I'm shopping I always think 'is this a need or a want' !
I'm one of your English neighbours, dad was brought up in Yorkshire- the thrifty sentiment is definitely not unique to Scotland, but I wish it was a bit more widespread here. I reuse the teabags and one friend was quite offended! Even though I gave him the teabag first! Love the "need or want" check.
I was raised in the 60’s and we never had anything new. With all 6 of us my parents couldn’t afford new clothes or bikes etc. my father worked 2 jobs and never had any debt. I have followed I. His footsteps
I share the same frugal habits, but I do rely on my car to get around. My semi-rural area is fairly hilly, stores aren't close by, and a health issue limits my mobility. Even so, I run my errands in a loop. I write a list before I go to the grocery or department store. I re-use my teabag, repair or refurbish items, even repair seams, hems, dog leashes, etc. My clothes (except underwear) are thrifted - thus higher quality than I could afford at retail! I thrifted a sewing machine for my adult son, then learned how to oil and tune it up online - with excellent results. (The repair shop was closed during COVID.) I do shop in thrift stores and outlets - often leaving empty-handed. I review and cull my possessions regularly - giving away or donating whatever I don't need. I prefer a quiet night at home to a party or restaurant. I don't drink alcohol - because I don't feel well the next day. 🥴 The money I save helps pay for heating fuel (very necessary). Thanks for sharing, Vera - and Happy New Year!
As a German I nearly do all this too, except camping😉 My tea bag I put out before drinking and I don't share it. If I want tea for more than one person I fill a tea pot😊 And I really love to visit the netherlands because everything is much more relaxed there and the landscape and houses are really beautiful. I love the dutch houses to the core😃
Love from a small town west of Venlo. Like most Germans we admire our Dutch neighbors for their more relaxed attitude towards life. I guess it has it's stems in the old merchant culture. Interesting that both, Dutch ans US are historically protestant christian cultures and it really interests me how different that influence has evolved. Your channel helps me understand better. I must say I feel the vibe change when I'm in a Dutch city. I love Den Bosch. Hardly any big chains and lots of owner-run small shops. Looking forward to every upcomming video
I live in the United States. I take my tea bag out of my cup while I am drinking the tea. I do sometimes use the same tea bag twice or more depending on how strong the tea bag is.
Greetings from Germany! I worked in the Netherlands for a couple of years. A colleague of mine who came from Colombia once very excitedly told me that his wife found all the furniture they needed very cheap on Facebook marketplace. After doing a couple of tours with a bakfiets over the weekend he told me that those furniture were probably so cheap because they were all really heavy. 😂 He was barely able to walk for the rest of the week after fetching all those furniture and carrying them up the very narrow and steep stairs of the old house he lived in.
Im from dominican republic, but life in new York for 24 years , I leave the tea bag inside and sometimes take it out after drink the tea and just add it to my water bottle give the water little bit of taste
I consider myself a frugal American and was curious how much we have in common. I do most of these, but have never re-used someone else's tea bag. So the Dutch definitely have me beat, lol! Also, not sure if you know this, but each person paying for themselves at a meal is called "going Dutch" here.
Being an American, I enjoy life, but tend to be very careful when it comes to spending money. That was the way I was raised and I have never regretted it. I’m a big recycler. And if I have something that I can’t use, I find someone who can use it. It’s just common sense. Although, I’ve learned that not everyone has common sense. Haha. Your videos are good reminders about what is important in life. Thank you. Carol from California
I live in Canada (Ukrainian & Turkish heritage), and I follow all of these values/ideas/rules with the exception of bicycling due to climate and remoteness. I would love to cycle everywhere, I think it is wonderful for the soul and the environment. Awesome video, thank you🥰
As someone living in the Nl for three years, I’ve become so frugal and proud of it :D. I tell my friends that I’ve already meal-prepped, so I can’t go out for dinner. Instead, I invite them to bring their food to my place so we can microwave and eat it together. This feels completely normal to me now.
Hi, Vera! I'm Ukrainian, but I'm sooooo Dutch 😅 I like all these ways of living more mindfully when it comes to your incomes, spending and savings. I really enjoy it when I can have a great deal, I also prefer to use up things and not just throw them away when there's something left etc. Can't tolerate waste and overconsumption just to impress others. Love your videos, there's a lot of value in your work, thank you ❤
Hi Vera this is a fantastic video I’d say I’m pretty frugal although theirs still room for improvement it can be difficult when you have a friend who spends a lot and expects you to do the same and uses a phrase like cheap skate but I’m on this path of waste not want not I think I’m also Dutch it’s a smart way to live I’m in the process of grocery shopping more mindful and not wasting food thank you for your wonderful video
So happy you enjoyed the video Margaret and thank you for sharing your thoughts!! Wishing you all the best with your mindful spending goals this year 🤗💐
@@SimpleHappyZen thank you Vera I always enjoy all your videos I’m definitely more mindful in the pst recent years and planning to tighten the belt even further 😊🌻🤗
Number 8 is definitely a quality known to the Dutch people (I say that as a Dutch American) so much so that it's called "going Dutch" or "Dutch treat" here in the U.S. when everyone pays their own portion of a check or the bill is split.
I often deal with Dutch in my business....which is jewelry artist, and my impression is that the Dutch women I encounter are simply not into the over consumerism that many of my American counterparts seem to be.
Hello from Portugal! There are some things I already do here in Portugal, such as using the tea bag more than once, or it with co-workers/friends/partner, even though I also prefer my tea/infusion with a stronger taste. I also try to stick to the minimum at the Supermarket, and tend to plan my meals, as me and my partner both take lunch to the office when we go there, and we spli the check whenever going out with friends proportionally or halp depending on what everyone ate or drunk, for example 😊
Funny, I also don’t have a car, nor a bicycle. And also prefer to stay home for holidays. You forgot to mention tikkie, I think that’s such a Dutch thing. Getting value for money is one of the favorite conversation topics here. It is about everything, from assurances to cat grit. And I did save money from tips other people gave.
I have to say that I am very frugal. Living here in the states there is a lot of waste. I try to do the best I can to protect earth from my footprint. I am not certain here in the states that you can take your own food into a theme park or fair. It is the same as going to a movie theater .They want you to spend your money on expensive food. I love learning about your culture. ☮️🌎🌲
Maybe a small addition to splitting the check what foreigners sometimes find weird: we Dutchies do that also in a romantical situation, it can totally happen that you are on a first date with a Dutch person and they will want to split the check. That does nót mean they are not romantically interested, we just think its fair: you eat half the food, you pay half the bill. 🤷♀️
In the UK you are banned from taking your own food into theme parks and similar places. Some places even have security at the entrance to confiscate any food and drink you bring with you. This is to force you to buy their very expensive food so they make more profit.
I'm from Kazakhstan and we are great tea drinkers)) If the tea is strong like black tea e.g then I remove the teabag and reuse it myself later throughout the day, if it's green tea I leave it in my cup)) We share teabags but only in the beginning or put it in the teabrewer for multi use.
My 100 year old grandmother reused her black tea bags. My boyfriend dunks his teabag in a few times and then puts it in my cup. I usually use two green tea bags at a time anyway. I squeeze ALL the liquid out of both before discarding whereas I think that they both could get way more liquid out of their tea bags lol… I will usually take their teabags and squeeze as much as possible before the tea bag will break and make a mess. Same is true if I use loose leaf tea. I did splurge on a French tea press which in the long run will be good value for the money and I got it on sale so… Loved this video, Vera!!
Here in the states, I often catch myself saying "we'll go dutch" when out with friends. It dawned on me one time that the young waitress had no idea what I was talking about. :-) So, now if I use that phrase I am reminded to educate the waitress.
Hi, Vera :) I think for tea bags it's not the culture but rather people's habits. I also like my team more strong and I once tried to do what you described and didn't like it 🥲 I had to have it weaker after the surgery but once the doctor allowed, I got back to my stong tea 😇 Oh, and I have it mostly with the bag in the cup 😁 I'm from Ukraine and Armenian by blood (generally, Armenians prefer to have coffee and I don't mean the instant one or the one coffee machine would do but mostly closer to the Turkish type of it).
I think Americans over hype the pressure not to outfit repeat here. I am known as a very fashionable person but I heavily repeat the same pieces and don't have that many clothes. I will get compliments from coworkers and friends about the same pieces I wear for years as if they were new. I probably wear the same outfits roughly every week. Nobody remembers that they have already seen something several times because they don't track what I wear. I think the pressure to not outfit repeat is mostly a social media thing. And even then I think most people can get away with repeating and nobody cares that much. It's a small group of people with this pressure and it's mostly self imposed.
@@l.m.n.2338 I agree. No one notices what we're wearing, unless it's purposely designed to attract attention (e.g. neon colors, etc.). I think it's mostly marketers and advertisers that press the issue in an effort to make us spend more and buy trends.
These are wonderful habits! I resonate strongly with this way of thinking about money - I think I'd really enjoy the Dutch lifestyle :) (Also I adore the bicycle culture in the Netherlands and I wish we had more cyclist-friendly infrastructure here in the UK. It doesn't stop me cycling wherever I can, though!) Oh, and the tea thing - definitely out for black/green tea, and I'll set a timer for the brewing (otherwise it gets too bitter and astringent), but I might be tempted to keep the teabag in for herbal/fruit teas!
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We usually use loose tea and cook it with water on the stove. It tastes full-flavoured if you prepare it that way. When using teabag, I prefer to take it out before drinking 😊 Iam kurd from Iraq.
I moved away from the city 5 years ago and never want to live in a crowded city again, but if I had to move out of Canada I definitely would think about moving to the Netherlands as I resonate with a lot of what you said. My sister always wants to share a teabag but I like my tea strong lol. I will leave the teabag in the cup if its like a peppermint or a herbal tea, but always, always for a black tea take it out before adding my maple sryup and milk as I feel it gets weird if I dont haha.
I actually feel like I have accomplished something when I get to the bottom of a jar or tube. Which I often wash or reuse some way😂 My mom is the same way. Only thing...I used to wish we could stay actually IN the park at Disney. And a little bigger serving of lox or smoked fish would have been nice Grandma😂 Yes the two time teabag, 2 used make one strong. And Grandma drinking vitamin water from boiled vegetables.
Being german, nearly every point you talk about sounds very familiar to me😄, apart from the "bycicle mentality". u Unfortunately the infrastructure in most of our cities is more convenient for cars than for bikes🙃 Thanks for sharing, Vera. It was very interesting 😊
Hello! So, about your question on the tea bag - depicted the culture is all about the coffee here in Brazil - I prefer tea, and when they have tea bags, I let them on the cup while i'm drinking ;)
Thanks for sharing, very interesting!! Does the tea bag sometimes get 'in the way' when you drink it? Like it kind of slaps you on the nose by mistake? Or does that not happen?
As far as tea goes, I steep according to directions for black tea, green tea, herbal tisanes, etc. and then remove the bag/loose tea from the liquid. I used to have a neighbor who would leave the teabag in the mug and the tea would get black by the time she finished... it must have been so strong and acidic! Also, I don't drink green tea often because I can't get the steeping times right and it comes out bitter almost every time. Rarely I'll use a bag twice, but that's only with certain teas, like the ones that are from Ireland like Barry's. I'm in the USA, Connecticut. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, loved it! Also a little tip about the green tea. If it comes out bitter, it might actually not be about the steeping time, but more so about the temperature. If you use water that's too hot, it will burn the leaves and the tea will come out bitter. It's better to boil water, pour it, leave it to cool for a few minutes, and then add the tea leaves. Hope that helps :)
One year for Christmas I bought my Dad a box of tea from a coffee shop. He told me later that he could make four cups of tea from one bag instead of two cups. When I went back to coffee shop the next Christmas to get him more but alas they did not sell it anymore. I am from Ontario Canada.
Oh yes we do that too, but for a pot of tea, you can also purchase tea bags that are specifically to make a pot with, so they are bigger and have more tea in them. Or people might put two 'regular' tea bags in a pot, and fill it up with enough water to make four cups of tea hahaha.
@@SimpleHappyZen ahhhh ok 🙂 this little conversation has made me realize that it's been years since I used my tea pot! 2025 you're becoming my tea year! P.S. thank you for your videos! I'm an avid watcher ❤️
I am an avid tea drinker! No sharing or saving tea bags here! LOL! I like a strong tea. Also, tea bags don't belong in your cup while drinking tea! LOL! You'll just get slapped in the face with that bag towards the bottom of your cup! 🤣🤣🤣
I think I am Dutch lol! I don’t do the reusing of Tea bags but my grandparents did. We actually called splitting a meal going Dutch here. Bargain hunting is almost an obsession I really love getting the best price. We always brown bag (bring a lunch) when we go to theme parks but we are the minority.
At home, I only use tea without a bag (I don't know the English word). I started doing that years ago because it was cheaper than tea bags 😂. And I still do now you to minimize waste and because I like the tea more 😊
I am a Dutch person living in the Netherlands all of my life, but if I listen to the things on your list I’m not a real Dutch person. I do use the teabags only once, I did get in a lot of debt, I love to buy gifts for everyone whether I got the money or not, I don’t have a car and I don’t cycle either, I just walk or use public transport, I don’t like camping but want to have a shower and toilet all to myself and love luxury, and I don’t like to go on vacation either. I just love spending money and shopping without looking at the prices. My parents were very frugal and we never have been rich either but that way of living I didn’t like at all. But yeah living my preferred way on a very low income did get me in a lot of trouble. So the last 8 years I have had to live frugally and I still don’t like it at all. I just love to splurge on everything.
I am Czech and I would say that we do many of the above mentioned things as well (expecially bragging about getting a good bargain, but not so much splitting the bill, although I personally do it very often). I would say that the one thing that is very different is the "bring your own bread" attitude - while we often bring sandwiches on trips/hikes, it is very uncommon to bring one to work. We do bring lunchboxes sometimes, but it would always be full meal (eg. leftovers from dinner). And I think that if I regularly had just a sandwich for lunch, my colleagues would probably start worrying about me, since having something warm for lunch is generally considered a norm, something you should really have every day. As a result, most people just eat lunch out with their colleagues, but the good thing is that restaurants/cafeterias accomodate for this and they usually offer very good deals for lunch menus (which can be easily half the price of what you would pay in the same restaurant for a dinner).
I admire the frugal habits of Duchies. I was most surprised that you don’t have a credit card culture there like we do in the US. The two habits I like the most are saving money and rotating one’s wardrobe. The only habit I’d have a problem with is the sharing of teabags, because I like my tea fairly strong. Plus, it just seems strange to share a single, inexpensive teabag.
I can empathize with the desire to save money by sharing tea bags, but I abhor the idea in practice. I would rather buy more tea to share and eat nothing but potatoes for dinner, than save money that way. Tea should be strong (if it's good enough to be worth drinking), in my opinion. lol I also only use a credit card with the intent to pay it off by the end of the month. I attempt to use the points for something useful on occasion. I learned that tactic from my grandmother, who does the same thing with hers. "Thanks, I got it on sale!" is the same vibe as, "thanks, it has pockets!" Excellent.
Your comment: "Thanks, it has pockets!" reminded me of something. With US women's jeans rarely having pockets that are adequately sized, it came to me recently that you can add bigger front pockets to jeans, whether you sew them in yourself or have a tailor do it.
Hey Vera , thank you so much for such an informative video about your culture . I grew up in a communist country , lacking just about everything… including food ! We had no choice but to be thrifty all the time . Loved your video ! 😊 PS So I have continued being thrifty all my life. And I drink my tea with the tea bag in it ! 🤷♀️
Haha mostly that's true, but definitely not everywhere! And we also have a LOT of wind, so for some people cycling to work can take some effort for sure :)
I bought a box of tea once upon a time, long ago, in a place far, far away. I still have it for some unknown reason. I guess I could let it return to the earth. Would that be wasteful? 🤪
@@geordiegirl164 Living in the Southwest US desert as I do, any organic matter is a plus added to the sand, clay, granite dust or volcanic ash more commonly known as 'soil'.
All mentioned is very similar to post communist countries in my opinion. The tea bag using many times made me chuckle since my mom does that a lot. But only her with her tea for her. We would never 'rotate' the tea bag among more people.😅😊 ❤
Most of the things you say are the same as what the scientists of psychology say about happiness (sense of well being). Who could have known Dutch people have good psychology that agrees with empirical evidence?
Now I understand the European politicies regarding the way of living that Bruxelles tries to impose on other Member States, so opposite of other European people way of living. No, other Europeans don't like to live like this.
I did a social experiment and wore the same gray merino wool dress for 100 days. Guess what? NO ONE noticed! I of course mixed it up with different scarves, jewelery or leggings etc but it was very interesting. (I live in USA).
Ah that's an interesting point! Maybe it's the spotlight effect :)
People very rarely see the same people every day😂
I had the one shirt and I coincidentally always ran into the same friend while wearing it. He did ask if I only had one shirt😂
Do you think the much older generation had that model of being very cautious and frugal with everything post-World War II since it was so devastating for so many in Europe?
I am a Canadian who has lived in the Netherlands for more than 25 years. In watching this video I have come to realise how “zuinig” I have become since living here. I recently spent 9 weeks in Toronto and I noticed how I have changed in terms of my spending. My Dutch frugality habits were in my mind as I visited Starbucks, Timmie’s (the Canadian equivalent) and fast food restaurants. It did seem “zonde” or a waste of money to be buying these items daily. Dutch frugality habits have made me more conscious of how much I am spending, saving and buying. Nothing wrong with being careful with money and to save it for travel, early retirement and investing in the future. I really enjoy your content and it has inspired me to live with more intention.
I am a Bengali Indian and I am raised in this way as well. I feel these ways are way towards more calm, mindful and peaceful way of living 😊
Very interesting, thank you for sharing and have a nice day!
Hi Vera, Loved this video. We in Scotland are famous for being thrifty but our English neighbours call us mean & tight which is not accurate at all. As for the teabag situation, I drink my tea strong and black so this wouldn't work in my household. I do think we should adopt the attitude of thriftiness, especially in the times we're living in. When I'm shopping I always think 'is this a need or a want' !
I'm one of your English neighbours, dad was brought up in Yorkshire- the thrifty sentiment is definitely not unique to Scotland, but I wish it was a bit more widespread here. I reuse the teabags and one friend was quite offended! Even though I gave him the teabag first! Love the "need or want" check.
I was raised in the 60’s and we never had anything new. With all 6 of us my parents couldn’t afford new clothes or bikes etc. my father worked 2 jobs and never had any debt. I have followed I. His footsteps
I share the same frugal habits, but I do rely on my car to get around. My semi-rural area is fairly hilly, stores aren't close by, and a health issue limits my mobility.
Even so, I run my errands in a loop.
I write a list before I go to the grocery or department store.
I re-use my teabag, repair or refurbish items, even repair seams, hems, dog leashes, etc. My clothes (except underwear) are thrifted - thus higher quality than I could afford at retail!
I thrifted a sewing machine for my adult son, then learned how to oil and tune it up online - with excellent results. (The repair shop was closed during COVID.)
I do shop in thrift stores and outlets - often leaving empty-handed.
I review and cull my possessions regularly - giving away or donating whatever I don't need.
I prefer a quiet night at home to a party or restaurant.
I don't drink alcohol - because I don't feel well the next day. 🥴
The money I save helps pay for heating fuel (very necessary).
Thanks for sharing, Vera - and Happy New Year!
I loved this video so much❤️ I’m really drawn to this simpler way of living. Thank you for sharing these mindful habits😊
So happy to hear that, thank you!! Have a nice day
@ Thank you, you as well:)
As a German I nearly do all this too, except camping😉 My tea bag I put out before drinking and I don't share it. If I want tea for more than one person I fill a tea pot😊 And I really love to visit the netherlands because everything is much more relaxed there and the landscape and houses are really beautiful. I love the dutch houses to the core😃
Love from a small town west of Venlo. Like most Germans we admire our Dutch neighbors for their more relaxed attitude towards life. I guess it has it's stems in the old merchant culture.
Interesting that both, Dutch ans US are historically protestant christian cultures and it really interests me how different that influence has evolved. Your channel helps me understand better.
I must say I feel the vibe change when I'm in a Dutch city. I love Den Bosch. Hardly any big chains and lots of owner-run small shops.
Looking forward to every upcomming video
I live in the United States. I take my tea bag out of my cup while I am drinking the tea. I do sometimes use the same tea bag twice or more depending on how strong the tea bag is.
Being one of 9 kids, I was raised this way and continue to live like this. ❤
Wow, one of 9 kids!
@ yes! It was wonderful! Loved your video!
That's both great to hear ☺️🙏
Funny as we Polish people do exactly same things! Even the thing with the tea bags haha, zero waste :D
Ah cool!! Nice to know 😁
Greetings from Germany! I worked in the Netherlands for a couple of years. A colleague of mine who came from Colombia once very excitedly told me that his wife found all the furniture they needed very cheap on Facebook marketplace. After doing a couple of tours with a bakfiets over the weekend he told me that those furniture were probably so cheap because they were all really heavy. 😂 He was barely able to walk for the rest of the week after fetching all those furniture and carrying them up the very narrow and steep stairs of the old house he lived in.
Hahahaha that is funny 😁
My husband and I must have a past life in the Netherlands! 😃Thank you! Loved this! Simplicity is abundance for us.
Im from dominican republic, but life in new York for 24 years , I leave the tea bag inside and sometimes take it out after drink the tea and just add it to my water bottle give the water little bit of taste
I consider myself a frugal American and was curious how much we have in common. I do most of these, but have never re-used someone else's tea bag. So the Dutch definitely have me beat, lol! Also, not sure if you know this, but each person paying for themselves at a meal is called "going Dutch" here.
I always thought I was Australian, but since I do everything on this list... I think I might secretly be Dutch :D
HAHA 😆
Being an American, I enjoy life, but tend to be very careful when it comes to spending money. That was the way I was raised and I have never regretted it. I’m a big recycler. And if I have something that I can’t use, I find someone who can use it. It’s just common sense. Although, I’ve learned that not everyone has common sense. Haha. Your videos are good reminders about what is important in life. Thank you. Carol from California
Ditto.. From Atlanta❤❤
I live in Canada (Ukrainian & Turkish heritage), and I follow all of these values/ideas/rules with the exception of bicycling due to climate and remoteness. I would love to cycle everywhere, I think it is wonderful for the soul and the environment. Awesome video, thank you🥰
My wife and I look for all the good deals. We are retired and love our day trips together.
Love the Dutch videos! The tea bag sharing is new to me. Using a tea pot would keep the tea strong for everyone.
Great suggestions for those of us that live in the United States
Thank you Cynthia! ☺️🙏
As someone living in the Nl for three years, I’ve become so frugal and proud of it :D. I tell my friends that I’ve already meal-prepped, so I can’t go out for dinner. Instead, I invite them to bring their food to my place so we can microwave and eat it together. This feels completely normal to me now.
Hi, Vera! I'm Ukrainian, but I'm sooooo Dutch 😅 I like all these ways of living more mindfully when it comes to your incomes, spending and savings. I really enjoy it when I can have a great deal, I also prefer to use up things and not just throw them away when there's something left etc. Can't tolerate waste and overconsumption just to impress others. Love your videos, there's a lot of value in your work, thank you ❤
Hi Vera this is a fantastic video I’d say I’m pretty frugal although theirs still room for improvement it can be difficult when you have a friend who spends a lot and expects you to do the same and uses a phrase like cheap skate but I’m on this path of waste not want not I think I’m also Dutch it’s a smart way to live I’m in the process of grocery shopping more mindful and not wasting food thank you for your wonderful video
So happy you enjoyed the video Margaret and thank you for sharing your thoughts!! Wishing you all the best with your mindful spending goals this year 🤗💐
@@SimpleHappyZen thank you Vera I always enjoy all your videos I’m definitely more mindful in the pst recent years and planning to tighten the belt even further 😊🌻🤗
Number 8 is definitely a quality known to the Dutch people (I say that as a Dutch American) so much so that it's called "going Dutch" or "Dutch treat" here in the U.S. when everyone pays their own portion of a check or the bill is split.
I often deal with Dutch in my business....which is jewelry artist, and my impression is that the Dutch women I encounter are simply not into the over consumerism that many of my American counterparts seem to be.
Ah that's interesting that you actually notice a difference :)
Love the information on the dutch bike culture, I would love to hear more. I wish Canada was more like this.
Hello from Portugal! There are some things I already do here in Portugal, such as using the tea bag more than once, or it with co-workers/friends/partner, even though I also prefer my tea/infusion with a stronger taste. I also try to stick to the minimum at the Supermarket, and tend to plan my meals, as me and my partner both take lunch to the office when we go there, and we spli the check whenever going out with friends proportionally or halp depending on what everyone ate or drunk, for example 😊
Hi there, thank you for sharing your thoughts!! That's so interesting you do that over there too :)
Im Japanese-American and relate a lot to this :) thank you as always for sharing
Funny, I also don’t have a car, nor a bicycle. And also prefer to stay home for holidays. You forgot to mention tikkie, I think that’s such a Dutch thing.
Getting value for money is one of the favorite conversation topics here. It is about everything, from assurances to cat grit. And I did save money from tips other people gave.
Yes the tikkie is really important haha, good one!
I have to say that I am very frugal. Living here in the states there is a lot of waste. I try to do the best I can to protect earth from my footprint. I am not certain here in the states that you can take your own food into a theme park or fair. It is the same as going to a movie theater .They want you to spend your money on expensive food. I love learning about your culture. ☮️🌎🌲
Maybe a small addition to splitting the check what foreigners sometimes find weird: we Dutchies do that also in a romantical situation, it can totally happen that you are on a first date with a Dutch person and they will want to split the check. That does nót mean they are not romantically interested, we just think its fair: you eat half the food, you pay half the bill. 🤷♀️
Aaaaah yes good point!!!! 😁😁😁 Very true
@@NinaW1n I think splitting the check on a first date is prudent. Oftentimes, people have "expectations" if they pay for your meal. 🙄
In the U.K. we call splitting the bill ‘going Dutch’.
Ah yes I've heard of that! :)
In the U.S. as well. 😊
In Australia as well. ❤
So do we in the US!
We use this phrase in the US also.... I never really thought much about the meaning until now!
In the UK you are banned from taking your own food into theme parks and similar places. Some places even have security at the entrance to confiscate any food and drink you bring with you. This is to force you to buy their very expensive food so they make more profit.
I'm from Kazakhstan and we are great tea drinkers)) If the tea is strong like black tea e.g then I remove the teabag and reuse it myself later throughout the day, if it's green tea I leave it in my cup)) We share teabags but only in the beginning or put it in the teabrewer for multi use.
My 100 year old grandmother reused her black tea bags. My boyfriend dunks his teabag in a few times and then puts it in my cup. I usually use two green tea bags at a time anyway. I squeeze ALL the liquid out of both before discarding whereas I think that they both could get way more liquid out of their tea bags lol… I will usually take their teabags and squeeze as much as possible before the tea bag will break and make a mess. Same is true if I use loose leaf tea. I did splurge on a French tea press which in the long run will be good value for the money and I got it on sale so…
Loved this video, Vera!!
Here in the states, I often catch myself saying "we'll go dutch" when out with friends. It dawned on me one time that the young waitress had no idea what I was talking about. :-) So, now if I use that phrase I am reminded to educate the waitress.
I love frugal tips!
I am Canadian but I must be Dutch too 🤗 I would ( and do) many of these tips. I visited Arnhem and Amsterdam many years ago and love the area.
Hi, Vera :) I think for tea bags it's not the culture but rather people's habits. I also like my team more strong and I once tried to do what you described and didn't like it 🥲 I had to have it weaker after the surgery but once the doctor allowed, I got back to my stong tea 😇 Oh, and I have it mostly with the bag in the cup 😁 I'm from Ukraine and Armenian by blood (generally, Armenians prefer to have coffee and I don't mean the instant one or the one coffee machine would do but mostly closer to the Turkish type of it).
Sounds good, let's go Dutch 😆
I think Americans over hype the pressure not to outfit repeat here. I am known as a very fashionable person but I heavily repeat the same pieces and don't have that many clothes. I will get compliments from coworkers and friends about the same pieces I wear for years as if they were new. I probably wear the same outfits roughly every week. Nobody remembers that they have already seen something several times because they don't track what I wear. I think the pressure to not outfit repeat is mostly a social media thing. And even then I think most people can get away with repeating and nobody cares that much. It's a small group of people with this pressure and it's mostly self imposed.
Interesting point!! Perhaps it's also the spotlight effect, where people believe they are being noticed more than they actually are. :)
@@SimpleHappyZen Agreed.
@@l.m.n.2338 I agree. No one notices what we're wearing, unless it's purposely designed to attract attention (e.g. neon colors, etc.). I think it's mostly marketers and advertisers that press the issue in an effort to make us spend more and buy trends.
These are wonderful habits! I resonate strongly with this way of thinking about money - I think I'd really enjoy the Dutch lifestyle :)
(Also I adore the bicycle culture in the Netherlands and I wish we had more cyclist-friendly infrastructure here in the UK. It doesn't stop me cycling wherever I can, though!)
Oh, and the tea thing - definitely out for black/green tea, and I'll set a timer for the brewing (otherwise it gets too bitter and astringent), but I might be tempted to keep the teabag in for herbal/fruit teas!
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We usually use loose tea and cook it with water on the stove. It tastes full-flavoured if you prepare it that way. When using teabag, I prefer to take it out before drinking 😊 Iam kurd from Iraq.
I moved away from the city 5 years ago and never want to live in a crowded city again, but if I had to move out of Canada I definitely would think about moving to the Netherlands as I resonate with a lot of what you said. My sister always wants to share a teabag but I like my tea strong lol. I will leave the teabag in the cup if its like a peppermint or a herbal tea, but always, always for a black tea take it out before adding my maple sryup and milk as I feel it gets weird if I dont haha.
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
I actually feel like I have accomplished something when I get to the bottom of a jar or tube. Which I often wash or reuse some way😂 My mom is the same way. Only thing...I used to wish we could stay actually IN the park at Disney. And a little bigger serving of lox or smoked fish would have been nice Grandma😂 Yes the two time teabag, 2 used make one strong. And Grandma drinking vitamin water from boiled vegetables.
Reusing glass jam jars is very satisfying, hahaha.
Being german, nearly every point you talk about sounds very familiar to me😄, apart from the "bycicle mentality". u
Unfortunately the infrastructure in most of our cities is more convenient for cars than for bikes🙃
Thanks for sharing, Vera. It was very interesting 😊
Hello!
So, about your question on the tea bag - depicted the culture is all about the coffee here in Brazil - I prefer tea, and when they have tea bags, I let them on the cup while i'm drinking ;)
Wow, I'm not Dutch but I might as well be based on these customs! 😊
I am American and hispanic, and i leave the tea bag in my mug the whole time 😊
Thanks for sharing, very interesting!! Does the tea bag sometimes get 'in the way' when you drink it? Like it kind of slaps you on the nose by mistake? Or does that not happen?
Love your videos! Groetjes uit holland
As far as tea goes, I steep according to directions for black tea, green tea, herbal tisanes, etc. and then remove the bag/loose tea from the liquid. I used to have a neighbor who would leave the teabag in the mug and the tea would get black by the time she finished... it must have been so strong and acidic! Also, I don't drink green tea often because I can't get the steeping times right and it comes out bitter almost every time. Rarely I'll use a bag twice, but that's only with certain teas, like the ones that are from Ireland like Barry's. I'm in the USA, Connecticut. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, loved it! Also a little tip about the green tea. If it comes out bitter, it might actually not be about the steeping time, but more so about the temperature. If you use water that's too hot, it will burn the leaves and the tea will come out bitter. It's better to boil water, pour it, leave it to cool for a few minutes, and then add the tea leaves. Hope that helps :)
@SimpleHappyZen thanks, I'll try that next time! 😊
Let me know if it helps :)
One year for Christmas I bought my Dad a box of tea from a coffee shop. He told me later that he could make four cups of tea from one bag instead of two cups. When I went back to coffee shop the next Christmas to get him more but alas they did not sell it anymore. I am from Ontario Canada.
I'm surprised that they'd dip a tea bag versus use a tea pot with one bag and enough water for two cups.
Oh yes we do that too, but for a pot of tea, you can also purchase tea bags that are specifically to make a pot with, so they are bigger and have more tea in them. Or people might put two 'regular' tea bags in a pot, and fill it up with enough water to make four cups of tea hahaha.
@@SimpleHappyZen ahhhh ok 🙂 this little conversation has made me realize that it's been years since I used my tea pot! 2025 you're becoming my tea year! P.S. thank you for your videos! I'm an avid watcher ❤️
I'm all for making 2025 your tea year 😁❤️ And thank you so much for watching!
I am an avid tea drinker! No sharing or saving tea bags here! LOL! I like a strong tea. Also, tea bags don't belong in your cup while drinking tea! LOL! You'll just get slapped in the face with that bag towards the bottom of your cup! 🤣🤣🤣
HAhaha yes that was what I was wondering about leaving the tea bags in :) But I'm sure they don't actually slap people in the face, hhihihi
I am from the UK. I sometimes use the teabag twice, but would not put my teabag
in anyone else's cup.
I think I am Dutch lol! I don’t do the reusing of Tea bags but my grandparents did. We actually called splitting a meal going Dutch here. Bargain hunting is almost an obsession I really love getting the best price. We always brown bag (bring a lunch) when we go to theme parks but we are the minority.
Wow, I must be Dutch! (;-)
Hahaha maybe!! 😁
I use my tea so many times because I don’t like my tea strong.
Hola Vera, yo suelo dejar la bolsa de té mientras lo bebo, es mas por costumbre xD amo tu contenido
If I was going to save to afford for a trip I would want to enjoy everything about the trip. That would include the food too!
At home, I only use tea without a bag (I don't know the English word). I started doing that years ago because it was cheaper than tea bags 😂.
And I still do now you to minimize waste and because I like the tea more 😊
I am a Dutch person living in the Netherlands all of my life, but if I listen to the things on your list I’m not a real Dutch person. I do use the teabags only once, I did get in a lot of debt, I love to buy gifts for everyone whether I got the money or not, I don’t have a car and I don’t cycle either, I just walk or use public transport, I don’t like camping but want to have a shower and toilet all to myself and love luxury, and I don’t like to go on vacation either. I just love spending money and shopping without looking at the prices. My parents were very frugal and we never have been rich either but that way of living I didn’t like at all. But yeah living my preferred way on a very low income did get me in a lot of trouble. So the last 8 years I have had to live frugally and I still don’t like it at all. I just love to splurge on everything.
I am Czech and I would say that we do many of the above mentioned things as well (expecially bragging about getting a good bargain, but not so much splitting the bill, although I personally do it very often).
I would say that the one thing that is very different is the "bring your own bread" attitude - while we often bring sandwiches on trips/hikes, it is very uncommon to bring one to work. We do bring lunchboxes sometimes, but it would always be full meal (eg. leftovers from dinner). And I think that if I regularly had just a sandwich for lunch, my colleagues would probably start worrying about me, since having something warm for lunch is generally considered a norm, something you should really have every day. As a result, most people just eat lunch out with their colleagues, but the good thing is that restaurants/cafeterias accomodate for this and they usually offer very good deals for lunch menus (which can be easily half the price of what you would pay in the same restaurant for a dinner).
I admire the frugal habits of Duchies. I was most surprised that you don’t have a credit card culture there like we do in the US. The two habits I like the most are saving money and rotating one’s wardrobe. The only habit I’d have a problem with is the sharing of teabags, because I like my tea fairly strong. Plus, it just seems strange to share a single, inexpensive teabag.
woah! the idea of being paid for how far you live is something that I have never heard of here in the US.
I am from Florida in the US, but I must be Dutch somehow because I do a lot of these things! ;p
I can empathize with the desire to save money by sharing tea bags, but I abhor the idea in practice. I would rather buy more tea to share and eat nothing but potatoes for dinner, than save money that way. Tea should be strong (if it's good enough to be worth drinking), in my opinion. lol
I also only use a credit card with the intent to pay it off by the end of the month. I attempt to use the points for something useful on occasion. I learned that tactic from my grandmother, who does the same thing with hers.
"Thanks, I got it on sale!" is the same vibe as, "thanks, it has pockets!" Excellent.
Your comment: "Thanks, it has pockets!" reminded me of something.
With US women's jeans rarely having pockets that are adequately sized, it came to me recently that you can add bigger front pockets to jeans, whether you sew them in yourself or have a tailor do it.
Hey Vera , thank you so much for such an informative video about your culture .
I grew up in a communist country , lacking just about everything… including food !
We had no choice but to be thrifty all the time .
Loved your video !
😊
PS So I have continued being thrifty all my life.
And I drink my tea with the tea bag in it !
🤷♀️
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts Teresa! That's a very interesting point. Have a lovely day and weekend!!
haha I must have a little Dutch in me as well then i hate waste and I am always penny pinching,
As a Dutch American, it must be in the DNA.
I think I'm Dutch in my soul :D
Hahaha cool!
Solution to the problem of sharing a teabag:
Make a pot of tea - appropriately sized to the number of people who will be drinking it!
🎉
I'm belgian and have many habbits in common with you ❤ but I don't share my tea bag 😅
I heard that I have a little Dutch in me also have a little Scottish in me
Ah that's interesting! ☺️
When it comes to cycling, you forgot to mention that the Netherlands is flat 😉
Haha mostly that's true, but definitely not everywhere! And we also have a LOT of wind, so for some people cycling to work can take some effort for sure :)
@@SimpleHappyZen Ughhh wind and rain 😅
I don’t even know how to ride a bike let alone fix one lol 9:06
Dutch people seem to have many things in common with the Danes 🇩🇰
Are you aware that in the US splitting the restaurant bill is called “going Dutch”?
I bought a box of tea once upon a time, long ago, in a place far, far away. I still have it for some unknown reason. I guess I could let it return to the earth. Would that be wasteful? 🤪
Hahahaha tea from a place far, far away. That sounds intriguing! 😁 Idk, can tea expire? 😅
You could always compost the tea if you don’t want to use it. 😊
@@SimpleHappyZen Coffee can lose flavor, so I imagine tea can also, not exactly expiring though.
@@geordiegirl164 Living in the Southwest US desert as I do, any organic matter is a plus added to the sand, clay, granite dust or volcanic ash more commonly known as 'soil'.
@@Robert-qm1ld it may still be drinkable. See if it still has flavor and/or hasn't mildewed. If it needs to be tossed, sprinkle it on the ground.
All mentioned is very similar to post communist countries in my opinion. The tea bag using many times made me chuckle since my mom does that a lot. But only her with her tea for her. We would never 'rotate' the tea bag among more people.😅😊 ❤
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you!! 😁🙏
Most of the things you say are the same as what the scientists of psychology say about happiness (sense of well being). Who could have known Dutch people have good psychology that agrees with empirical evidence?
Oh, so you're all Polish 😂
Now I understand the European politicies regarding the way of living that Bruxelles tries to impose on other Member States, so opposite of other European people way of living. No, other Europeans don't like to live like this.