% step 1:
\newcommand\getfootnotemarker[1]{%
  \stepcounter{footnote}%
  \newcounter{#1}%
  \setcounter{#1}{\value{footnote}}%
  \expandafter\newcommand\csname #1\endcsname
    {\footnotemark[\value{#1}]}}
\getfootnotemarker{notea}%
\getfootnotemarker{noteb}%
\getfootnotemarker{notec}%

% step 2:
\newcommand\tablenotes{%
  \footnotetext[\value{notea}]{%
                     First example footnote}%
  \footnotetext[\value{noteb}]{%
                     Second example footnote}%
  \footnotetext[\value{notec}]{%
                     Third example footnote}}

% step 3:
\tablenotes
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}%
\hline
  name       & amount in \$ \\
\hline
  Achterberg & 100          \\
  Bosman     & 150\notea    \\
  Evers      & 125\noteb    \\
  Gerritsen  & 145          \\
  Hooier     & 170\notec    \\
  Jansen     & 165\notea    \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}