The corona measures are now being relaxed. However, free travel is not yet a good idea. In addition, the question is whether it is useful to travel now. Soon the holiday money will be deposited and you can do this with your holiday money now that you can't travel.
Holiday pay is a special allowance for employees in the Netherlands and Belgium. This allowance is actually intended as a kind of contribution towards the costs of a holiday, to which every employee is entitled. The holiday money was created to make it possible for people to book a holiday. This can be done both at home and abroad.
In the Netherlands, giving holiday pay is mandatory. It must also be included on the pay slip. Although paying holiday pay is required by law, there is a small but. People who earn more than three times the minimum wage do not necessarily have to count on holiday pay from their employee. If there is less or no holiday pay, this must be recorded properly.
In principle, you can count on 8% of your gross salary. The calculation of your holiday allowance is based on working from 1 June to 1 June. You must therefore be employed for a year to be able to claim the full amount. If you are employed for a shorter period of time, your holiday pay is also less. You can assume that you will receive about a monthly salary in holiday pay. Unfortunately, holiday pay is taxed extra, so that you ultimately end up with a lot less.
Most employers pay holiday pay once a year. In most cases this will be the end of May. Not surprising, because that is just before the summer holidays, which gives you the opportunity to use the holiday money for which it is actually paid out, namely vacation.
In some cases this can be deviated from. However, this is only possible in good consultation between employer and employee. Now that many employers were forced to close due to the Corona, some employees have decided to receive holiday pay later in the year out of leniency. However, this is certainly not a standard.
Of course, more and more boundaries are being drawn. However, the question is whether we all want or should go on holiday en masse. Perhaps it is better to wait a while and use the holiday money for other things. Below you will find a number of ideas to spend your holiday money differently now that you can't travel.
Children simply cost a lot of money, so you can spend (part of) your holiday money on the children. Think of things like new clothes, other furniture, refurbishing the nursery and, for example, school supplies. Do you have a baby who is now a toddler? Then you can transfer to another room with the holiday money. Opening a savings account for the children to which you deposit a certain amount is also an option.
Due to the measures, quite a few people are still at home. It doesn't really matter whether you have to work outside or not. Use the holiday money to buy other furniture. Or spruce up your kitchen or bathroom, for example. That doesn't have to be with a lot, sometimes a new layer of paint is enough to freshen things up.
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You don't have to stay indoors when the weather is nice. It is better to avoid crowds, so make sure you have a nice place at home where you can fully enjoy. A garden is preferred, but if you don't have one, a balcony is also nice. Use your holiday money to make your garden or balcony cozy. Buy a new garden set, a beautiful parasol and add color to your garden with containers full of plants and flowers. You can also create a small vegetable garden so that you can grow your own vegetables. And on a beautiful evening, nothing is better than barbecuing, so a good barbecue should not be missing.
Standing still is never good. You can also use the holiday money in May to invest in yourself. Follow that one nice course or training. Just do it! Don't think too much about it, just use the extra money to get more out of yourself. This does not necessarily have to be related to education or work. You can also pick up a hobby and invest in it. Relaxation in this time is worth gold.
The fact that we are not allowed on holiday does not mean that you have to stay inside all day. A day trip in your own country is great fun and also doesn't cost that much. For example, you can go to a museum, visit an amusement park or go to a zoo. Keep in mind that the rules are slightly different now. In many cases you have to book in advance and indicate on which day and in which time slot you want to come.
Weeks of stress, switching and tension have probably not left you in the cold clothes. You can therefore also use the holiday money very well to do something extra for yourself. Go to the hairdresser. Book a treatment at the beautician or let a masseuse take care of you. Or unabashedly go wild and buy a new pair of shoes and clothing. Just do something nice to pamper yourself.
Do you have debts? Then it may be advisable to pay off your debts with the holiday pay. Can't do this at once? Then consider paying off at least part of your debts. Where money is borrowed, it must also be paid back. Interest is added to this, so you always have to pay back more than you originally borrowed.
To prevent the costs from continuing to rise (the amount is higher each month due to the interest), it is best to use extra income (as is the case with holiday pay) to repay.
If you have little or no savings (anymore), it is advisable to set the holiday money aside and save. According to Nibud, you should save 10% of your net income. If that doesn't work, you can consider putting your holiday money in a savings account. You can then use this money for unforeseen circumstances, such as the replacement of a household appliance, the repair or purchase of a second-hand car or the purchase of a bicycle for your child.
What do you do with the holiday money now that traveling is not really possible?
