Dreaming and Getting By

"I keep an eye out for all the special offers and fortunately I’m entitled to a number of allowances. That’s how me and my daughter get by."

Dreaming and Getting By

They do not have much to spend, the people in the Dreaming and Getting By segment. In terms of personal wealth, they are on the lowest rung. They sometimes have trouble making ends meet and are not always able to pay their bills on time. However, they continue to dream of a better life, even though the chances of improving their destiny are slim for most.

Demographic characteristics

There are Dreamers Getting By in all age groups, but most are between 30 and 50. The age of any children also varies greatly. Some households are still changing diapers, while others have grown-up sons and daughters who have already flown the nest. A strikingly high number are single-parent families. Singles are also very over-represented in this segment. The people of Dreaming and Getting By have often completed lower secondary education and work in jobs that require little training. For example, they work as a cleaner, supermarket assistant or ticket collector, urban jobs which pay a below average wage. Others are unemployed, jobseekers or work incapacitated and therefore receive social security benefits or other forms of income support. This segment is high in cultural diversity.

Living environment

Dreamers Getting By live in urban areas, mainly in the provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland. Central Rotterdam, Den Haag, Schiedam, Vlaardingen or Diemen are typical locations. The quality of life in these densely populated districts is moderate and the average value of the houses is a little under EUR 200,000. These people usually rent a simple, relatively small apartment of approximately 60 to 90m2 built after World War II (1945-1969).

Lifestyle

Owning a car is by no means a given for Dreamers Getting By. They often have a public-transport season ticket and take a bus or tram to work or to go shopping at stores such as Zeeman, Wibra and C&A. Grocery shopping can often be done on foot or by moped, at local shops or a relatively affordable supermarket such as Dirk or Hoogvliet. Smoking is still popular among this group, and not only cigarettes: many buy shag tobacco and roll their own. Their budget does not usually extend to holidays, but if they do travel it is often to visit friends and family abroad. They sometimes like to play darts in the pub, go to see a film, or visit the sauna or casino. It’s about finding simple and affordable entertainment: a chance to get out of the house and escape the daily grind. Younger people in this group are often interested in all kinds of things related to pregnancy, babies and upbringing.

Media

The television is usually tuned to popular entertainment channels such as Comedy Central, Nickelodeon or ESPN. Dreamers Getting By like to keep up with the lives of soap stars and other celebrities by browsing through gossip magazines such as Story or Privé. Online retail purchases tend to be restricted to video games and baby items. They would rather hunt for bargains on consumer-to-consumer websites such as Marktplaats (eBay). However, they do search job and housing websites for ways to improve their lives one step at a time. Other e-activities include Snapchat or video calling. As background music, they listen to Top 40 hits on radio stations such as SLAM! or FunX.

Mindset

There are contradictions in the mindset of Dreamers Getting By. On the one hand, they believe in fate and accept their destiny in life: it is what it is. On the other hand, they like to lose themselves in daydreams as a way of making everyday life more pleasant. They also seek distraction in the form of excitement, sensation and risk. Members of this group find it difficult to pay too much heed to other people’s needs. Having to make concessions on so many fronts can increase their determination not to lose sight of their own interests.

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