If you’re younger than 35, your retirement probably seems very remote, even though that doesn't necessarily mean you’re uninterested or clueless. In the Netherlands, the retirement age is currently 67, but some people say that will go up in due course. Of course, no one knows for sure. Many people think it would be ideal to stop working earlier. Are you one of those people? If so, will you need extra money to bridge the time until your Dutch state pension (AOW) starts paying out?

Until that time, you will probably be working hard. You might dream about taking a break now and then, but to quit working altogether? That’s something most people your age don’t aspire. Even if they were to win a lottery, they'd prefer to continue working. After all, what would they do at home every day? How do you feel about that?

Triggers to set aside money
Pension could come sooner than you’d expect. For instance, if you were to pass away, your registered partner will get a pension. But there are also other events in your life when it would be sensible to check out your pension. For instance if you get a new job or a new contract. A lot changes if you switch to a permanent contract after having worked as a temp – it's important to be aware of that. Or if you buy a house. Not that you’ll be asked about your pension when you apply for a mortgage, because that isn’t done until you are 57. But it's a good time to think about your financial future. The same applies if you get married or divorced. Or start a family. Do these events trigger you to set aside extra money?

Get organized
It’s a good idea to have a clear picture of your recurring expenses and what you could save on. Making a financial plan could help give you insight into your future situation. How to set up such a plan? Simply open your internet banking account and make a list of what is being paid from your account. You might notice that in addition to Netflix, which you can’t do without of course, you have an account for Disney+ as well. And that you also subscribed to Prime Video a while ago just to watch a certain show. That's fine if you’re still using these accounts, but if you're not so sure you want them you could consider unsubscribing to one or two of them. Get organised, for your future. The first time you set up a monthly summary, you might be surprised. But after a while, you’ll discover that saving can actually be fun.