All Dutch banks provide a similar range of services to their customer. Unlike some countries, cheques are not commonly used. Cash machines (ATMs) are widespread. The Dutch pay for a lot of things with cash. Watch out as credit/debit cards are not accepted everywhere.
Most bank has a variety of account types. The easiest accounts to get are a savings account (Spaarrekening) or current (checking) account (Betaalrekening). They both usually give you a debit card to withdraw money from ATMs and pay in shops and restaurants.
Most bills are paid by money transfers from one bank account to the other. This can be done by telephone or internet. Paying bills through the Internet is now very popular in the Netherlands - it has the added advantage of allowing you to carefully manage your funds.
There is an option to pay bills automatically by means of an acceptgirokaart (direct debit instruction), often shortened to acceptgiro. You fill in a payment slip with the amount, your name, account number, the payee's name and account number. You then drop it in the mailbox at the bank, or put it in a freepost envelope provided by your bank and drop it in a normal mailbox. This is a very common way of paying in the Netherlands.
Automatic direct debits are also very common and may be required for certain services (e.g. mobile phone contracts). You need to fill out a machtigingskaart, which is a bank instruction where you state that company X can take money out of your account every month.
To be eligible, you need sufficient income. You will also pay a yearly fee, and maybe an additional monthly fee as well. Credit cards are not widely used/accepted in the Netherlands. The Dutch tend to use them for larger purchases such as renting a car, buying over the internet or when travelling abroad.
Whichever bank you choose, make sure they give you a card that you can use internationally. Holland is relatively small and it is probable you may travel to at least a neighbouring country while you are there. Most cards are international anyway, however, it does not hurt to double check. Look for the Maestro and Cirrus logos as these networks allow you to withdraw money in most countries internationally. Withdrawing money in other EU countries is free of charge. In non-EU countries, you may be charged €2 or more per withdrawal.
ATMs are called geldautomaten or pinautomaten in Dutch. Every reasonable sized town in the Netherlands has a few and larger cities have many. You can use any bank's card in almost all other bank's ATMs in the Netherlands (check with your bank for possible charges). So if you have an ABN-AMRO card, you can also use it in the ING pinautomaat at no extra charge. This is called gastgebruik (guest use), but you can only do this once every 24 hours.
Most Dutch debitcards have a chip on them, as this system is actively used in Holland. The Dutch call it the Chipknip or Chipper and means your debit card can be used to make small cash transactions. You can chip for small transactions (parking meters, phones, newsagents, etc) and do not need to key in a PIN code or sign a debit slip. You credit your chip for the amount you want in the special Chip loaders found next to the ATM machines. The amount you upload is deducted from your account. This is a very convenient way to pay, but has the downside that if your card is lost or stolen, anyone can use your chip credit. Be careful not to load it up too much.
Most banks open 09:00-18:00 Monday to Friday. Some banks open late on Mondays at 10:00 or 13:00. On Saturdays most banks open from 10:00-13:00 or 14:00.
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