From splitting the Friday borrel drinks with your coworkers to paying for your friend’s birthday present with friends, Tikkie is one of the most important aspects of life in the Netherlands.
Anyone who’s lived here knows that the Dutch are sticklers for accounting and finances, and the Tikkie app is one of those innovations that comes from their perceived stinginess.
The handy app lets you forward payment requests via WhatsApp and other forms of social media, making it extra easy for groups of people to split costs.
But why is it called a ‘Tikkie’? 🤔
Useful and friendly
According to Freek de Steenwinkel, director of Tikkie, the name ‘Tikkie’ is meant to be an onomatopoeic sound, similar to a “ka-ching” or a check sound that rings when someone is paying for something at a cash register.
Whilst it’s fun to imagine paying with “Kachings” or “Cheqs”, there’s a reason why Tikkie prevailed.
“‘Tikkie’ sounded friendly; besides being useful, it should also be fun”, says Steenwinkel to De Ondernemer. Useful and friendly, it is indeed.
A new set of etiquette
Since its creation, Tikkie has created a whole etiquette surrounding money transfers and finances.
@dutchreview €0,36 for “sip from my water bottle” ??? #netherlands #tikkie #nederlands #fyp #dutchtiktok #dutch #internationalstudent ♬ My Happy Song – Super Simple Songs
That includes when to pay someone’s request, when to send a Tikkie, and even the appropriate amount of money you can request from someone. (Hint: there’s no minimum! 😉)
Call it stingy or call it cheap — the Dutch will call it innovative and considerate.
What are your experiences using Tikkie? Do you like using it? Tell us in the comments below. 👇
