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Nibud: keeping the balance
Nibud (National Institute for Family Finance Information) is an independent foundation. The national government and the private financial sector finance around 30% of the projects. The rest is financed by the revenues of Nibud products. Its goal is to promote a rational planning of family finances, these contributing substantially to family welfare in Nibuds opinion.
Pursuing its goal
Nibud pursues this goal by offering advice, information and education. Not only directly to all individuals and households but also indirectly through a wide range of professional intermediaries like public servants (debts), teachers and consultants in the fields of mortgage, insurance, savings and loans.
Individuals and households are addressed through the mass media using free publicity and products concerning family budget subjects. Nibud supports the intermediaries by means of an annual budget handbook (including a large number of reference budgets) and software. Furthermore, Nibud offers instruction facilities for these professionals.
Special attention is given to the stimulation and supporting of budget education in schools. Also Nibud is the main partner in a large scale bi-annual survey amongst youngsters.
Nibud was founded in 1979. Offices are based in Utrecht. Nibud employs a staff of 26.
ECDN
Nibud is a member of the European Consumer Debt Network (ECDN). The network's goal is to fight and prevent over-indebtedness and promote social inclusion. The ECDN issues the magazine Money Matters. Nibud has no direct sister organisations in European countries. However, if you would like more information regarding other European countries, see the list of ECDN members. 
- More information on the ECDN and its projects can be found on ecdn.eu.
- Read more: 'Handbooks of Reference Budgets published' (referencebudgets.eu).
ABACO
The European funded ABACO project aims to perform a strategy to face the problem of lack of financial education for vulnerable adults and migrants in South Europe. Target of the project is vulnerable people. The project will have a direct impact on their lives since it will help them to make better financial provision for unforeseen situations, invest wisely, and avoid the pitfalls of payment fraud.
The project strives to adapt methodologies and contents developed by Nibud in order to make them usable by partner organisations in their national contexts (Italy, Spain Portugal and Greece). Read more on Abaco:
- Newsletter 2011 (pdf)
- Newsletter 2010 (pdf)
- Newsletter 2009 (pdf)
- Download Abaco materials
Reference budgets for social inclusion
This project was funded by the European Community Programme for Emploympent and Social Solidarity Progress 2007-2013. Reference budgets are patterns of expenditure for different types of households to live at a designated level of well-being. Based on household composition, disposable income and other characteristics (like housing and the possession of a car), such a budget reflects the circumstances of an individual family unit.
This project had the aim of promoting the construction and use of standard budgets as instruments with which to prevent and tackle over-indebtedness and financial exclusion in a variety of countries throughout Europe. For more information, see referencebudgets.eu.
Available in English
Competences for financial empowerment
A continuously increasing number of statements are based on competences for properly handling money. This requires a general description and elaborated support for the competences.
These competences form the basis of Nibud's information and recommendations to all consumer groups. In addition, the competences are also ready for use in the professional field. The competences have been elaborated in such a way that it is easier to use them to define how well a person is able to manage his finances. According to Nibud, a person is financially empowered if he makes well-considered choices in such a way that his finances are balanced, both in the short and long term.
Download: Handling money properly, backgrounds with the competences for financial empowerment (pdf, 2012)
Learning goals and competences
For years, Nibud has had money management methods for (young) adult education. Methods have also been developed in recent years for primary and secondary education and for those following vocational training. Nibud always works with educational professionals when developing new methods. The various educational products and methods are based on learning goals and competences formulated by Nibud.
'The minimum agreed upon'
What does the concept of poverty mean? What kind of shelter, diet, clothing, participation and recreation does one need in order not to be poor? And what monthly budget is currently required to afford these necessities in the Netherlands? Four focus groups met to discuss such issues. Each group developed a common point of view that was elaborated in detailed consensual budgets for various types of household. The report also discusses the merits of the approach for poverty research and budget counselling.
Handbook of Reference Budgets
The Handbook of Reference Budgets is the outcome of the 'Standard Budgets' project, which was set up with the aim of promoting the construction and use of standard budgets as instruments with which to prevent and tackle over-indebtedness and financial exclusion in a variety of countries throughout Europe.
- Download: Handbook of Reference Budgets (pdf).
Course: Managing money
The Nibud-course Managing money has a modular set-up and thus you can easily adapt the course to the needs of your participants. In the teachers manual you will read how this can be done. Furthermore you will find a commentary of all separate modules. The commentary always consists of the aim of the module, extra exercises and background information. All modules are also available in English, please contact our office for more information.
- Download: Teachers manual 'Managing money' (pdf)
Budget form
The Nibud has developed the Budget form for use of mortgage-consultants. The form can be printed and handed out to cliënts. By filling out this form, it becomes clear what the effects are on household finances when selecting various types of home loans. The form has been developed for use in the Netherlands and is not applicable to other countries.
- Download: Budget form (pdf)
Nibud research
The Nibud researchers regularly carry out surveys in order to analyse trends, developments and new insights on the field of household finance.
Intermediate vocational students and money (english summary)
A study of the financial behaviour of intermediate vocational students
National Institute for Family Finance Information (Nibud), 2011.
On leaving secondary school, young people in the Netherlands can move on to intermediate vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs or MBO), higher vocational education (hoger beroepsonderwijs or HBO) or university.
Vocational education (MBO or HBO) provides training for specific professions. Young people move on to MBO from about 16 years of age, after completing four years of secondary education. MBO is divided into a work-based track and a school-based track. The focus of the work-based track is 'learning on the job': students spend most of their time working and attend school for one or more days a week. The focus of the school-based track is the other way round: students attend school for about four days a week and in addition receive practical training.
This study looks at the financial behaviour of MBO students: their income, expenditure, saving patterns and debts, and how they manage money. The study is representative of the Netherlands.
- Download: Intermediate vocational students and money (pdf)
Financial attitudes and skills as early-warning signs of financial problems
Research by Tamara Madern & Anna van der Schors
On at least one occasion in 2011, nearly half of all Dutch households failed to pay a bill on time, were unable to withdraw money from a bank account, had earnings attached or had power cut off. Failure to pay the occasional bill on time is not a serious matter, but if arrears of payment accumulate and people can no longer meet their financial obligations, not only they but also those around them – and ultimately the rest of society – will suffer.
An earlier study has shown that one Dutch household in ten is at risk of getting into problem debt. It is therefore important to tackle financial problems as early as possible, and ideally to prevent them from arising in the first place. In order to deal with such problems effectively, we need to know who exactly is involved. Who are the high-risk groups for financial problems?
Contact
Nibud-employees are experts in the areas of purchasing power, financial education, debt prevention and financial behavior of households. If you would like to know more about Nibud, its products or projects, please contact us or call (31)30 - 2391 350 during office hours.
