Nibud sees all letting off on a date as the solution for the debt problem. Then one may get the impression of getting better insight into what is left for further expenses. But if someone is already in financial need, it is stressing to lose a lot of money in one day. In this way, it is also losing control over the expenditure at your own discretion over a month.
That many have no idea of poverty is already apparent from statements from a VGZ spokesperson that people tend to spend their money on fun things first. Unfortunately, people spend their holiday pay mainly on paying all kinds of bills. In my opinion, it is surprising that even a consumer psychologist supports the ideas of Nibud and VGZ. Moreover, these views do not offer a solution for structural problems such as rising rents and the increasingly higher prices of groceries and energy.
Ultimately, these kinds of ‘social’ actions are a meager comfort, a symbolic help that has nothing to do and is actually what is offensive to people in real financial need.
RW Jansen, Hoogeveen