€70 per adult and €30 per child—€200 for a family of four. That's the amount of cash recommended to have at home in case of a crisis. This advice comes from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), the Consumers' Association, MKB-Netherlands, and other organizations within the Social Consultation on Payment Systems.
The risks of severe natural disasters, cyberattacks, and an overburdened power grid are increasing. These scenarios share one commonality: a high likelihood that you won't be able to withdraw cash or make online payments during a power outage. However, essential purchases can almost always be made with cash.
The suggested amounts should suffice for three days without digital banking. According to the Nibud, these funds are intended for essential groceries, medicine, and transportation.
DNB's Olaf Sleijpen emphasizes that the amounts are meant to raise awareness about potential crises where power and internet may fail. He refers to recent outages in Spain and Portugal, where millions were left without power and internet for days.
Additional tips include keeping a physical debit card, ensuring banking apps work, and diversifying banking providers. Retailers are also advised to offer alternative payment methods like QR codes and maintain sufficient change for 72 hours.