Leaving lights on

[AnyFucker]

A small thing but part of a bigger picture of thoughtlessness, laziness and downright inability to take any responsibility.

Several times a day I am switching lights off that have been left on. I hear the two teens go in a room, even in broad daylight and the light is switched on and left on.

Me and DH leave early for work, we come back to find several lights in the house left on all day.

Repeated nagging, appeals, warnings etc are having no effect. There is other low level annoying thoughtlessness too (nothing out side of normal teen behaviour, I accept this) but this is Getting My Goat

I am seriously considering splitting the electricity bill into three and charging them but DH thinks that is unreasonably drama llama. (one works FT and pays board and the other is at college)

What does everyone else do ?

[rogueantimatter]

TBH -I just ignore it. This is a battle I choose not to fight. I'm fighting the put-it-in-the-dishwasher battle and the -cover-stuff-in-the-microwave- battle.

I'm afraid I ignore the schoolbag chucked at the bottom of the stairs too.

Occasionally 17YO DC does something thoughtful and then I make sure to tell him he's been thoughtful.

[humblesims]

This is one of my bug bears too. Our spare loo has a window facing East and in the morning the sum blasts in there with the power of 3.84×10263.84×1026 watts but still my kids feel the need for an extra 60 watts. Still, i agree with PP choose you battles. Its not a biggie in the grand scheme of things.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

Change to LED bulbs so at least you won't feel so angry at the wanton waste of electricity?

[ImperialBlether]

I would go down the route of splitting the electricity bill, AF, but wouldn't it be in four if there are four of you living there?

[Hulababy]

I often leave a light or two on in the house when I go out, if I am coming home after dusk/dark.
I prefer for the house to look possibly occupied to deter any chancers looking to break in.

According to a very quick Google: www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/running_costs_electricity

• costs about 1p per hour to leave on

[Dramallamamama]

I had literally just asked my DSs girlfriend if my other son had left the light on in the Mazzanine as I come across this thread. He had Ofc 🙄 Lights are always left on up there as there's various sets of fairy lights, I ignore that mostly as they are more for decoration than light but when the main light is left on like it was I get really annoyed as if they had just opened the blinds there'd be more than enough light.

[SwearyInn]

I was like his as a teenager, and I still like this. I understand it's annoying (and I wind myself up when I get home from work to find the "Blackpool illuminations" - I really am cross with myself).

I don't know why I do it - jus always thinking about other stuff maybe. But if why're generally good in other areas (and I was) then I'd not battle this one. (I found it intensely annoying that I did lots of good things (esp working hard at school) and yet this seemingly trivial matter was always brought up.

I don't imagine that's helped you much....sorry.

[AnyFucker]

Me and DH do bills jointly, IB

[AnyFucker]

I know, Sweary

It's small stuff.

I think I will just put up and shut up (and keep turning the lights off myself). And keep pouring the

The college goer is currently still in bed with a humungous hangover. Another story < sigh>

[bigbluebus]

I feel your pain OP. My DS cannot walk into a room without putting the lights on even though there may already be 2 people in the room already managing to function perfectly well without the lights ablaze. When he leaves a room, however, the use of the light switch seems to slip his mind. We once counted 24 light bulbs alight as he went from his bedroom to fetch something from the garage (which is accessible from the house). He moved away last year and the electricity bill went down £30pm. He is back home now and the meter has only been read once since his return and already the bill has been increased by £19pm. This is also due to the amount of time spent in the electric shower and on the computer in addition to the lights. I have got to the point where I feel I am wasting my breath asking him to turn the lights off and may as well just wait patiently for him to leave home again.

[WestCoastGirl]

Mine don't leave the lights on but dd CANNOT close her wardrobe doors or any drawers in her room. I'm forever telling her about this but its a waste of time. Yeah its small stuff and not worth fussing about in the grand scheme of things but still.
Join me in a and we'll have a moan together

[ImperialBlether]

No, I know you pay the bills together, but if there are four of you, then you and your husband will end up paying half, won't you?

I would just charge some random figure, though, like £10 per week for lighting - they won't know any difference and you will get £20 towards some wine to help you forget what they're doing.

[AnyFucker]

I'm over it now.

< fickle >

[R1nderCella]

Take the bulbs out till they get the message.

[Out2pasture]

My DH put lights with timers in the bathrooms, three other spots are on motion sensors.
www.google.ca/search?q=light+switch+with+timer&client=safari&hl=en-ca&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj34IGsmt3PAhVP42MKHQQwDygQ_AUIBygB&biw=375&bih=559#q=light%20switch%20with%20timer&hl=en-ca&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg%3ACZWUz53pWQTXIkCXkJ8gj8xczdWBTCzEcwgqYpz3KcC5qt1riSOXdbZVeDsvc6xDmKS8qzZV4gE4WbvcCjFGkrGoAeRzBIDevuOfKhIJl5CfII_1MXM0Rd_1YvWrcOVEUqEgnVgUwsxHMIKhEZXCMzWjEH3CoSCWKc9ynAuardET1Q5wdeZS_1jKhIJa4kjl3W2VXgRof4iKtTjyMcqEgk7L3OsQ5ikvBEiYNoynHy_1mioSCas2VeIBOFm7EdK9cwKNubNDKhIJ3AoxRpKxqAERhk66UaevTZkqEgnkcwSA3r7jnxGcrAfM7FjM_1Q%3D%3D&imgrc=qzZV4gE4WbunVM%3A

[instantly]

I find I get more annoyed by continually asking them, just to be ignored, than I do switching them off myself.

It's a battle I choose not to fight

[bigbluebus]

R1nderCella when DS was living away from home and we went to visit him, the stairway to his room had no lighting and the lightbulb in his bedroom had blown and not been replaced. Amazingly he was prepared to put up with that but at home it is all lights ablazing amid cries of "it's dark" if I dare to switch the lights off in a room citing that "its broad daylight, we don't need the lights on"

[ivykaty44]

It's in their job description.

My parents had lamps and not ceiling lights ( remove bulbs) it was to much hassle as a teen to turn on lamps

[ivykaty44]

West coast

What is it with the doors open??

[BigSandyBalls2015]

My 15 year olds are the same, gives me the rage.

If they arrive home in the dark and nobody is in they go round the whole house turning on every single light! Think it makes them feel safe but is there really any need.

[PinkissimoAndPearls]

We have such a small house the lights aren't an issue as there aren't any "empty" rooms where lights can be left on, but the showers, my god the showers

Luckily we aren't on a water meter, but the heating of the water for what feels like hour long showers, plus the fact no one else can ever get into the bathroom where the single house toilet is

I've tried timers, I've tried deducting it from their pocket money, I've tried turning the bathroom light off, I've tried turning the boiler off...

Want to swap AF?

[AnyFucker]

I have the same re. the showers/baths/4 sopping wet towels each per day/ruined bathroom floor as they step out of the tray wet through/never use the last inch of shampoo or shower gel just open another one/just leave the cardboard toilet roll holder behind/used cotton buds flung in the corner of the floor/long hairs in plughole/shavings in the sink/toothpaste unsqueezed and abandoned

Need I go on..........

[AgainPlease]

We leave particular lights on all day and night (big old house with poor lighting in some areas). Don't see what the big deal is. Surely it doesn't add that much to the electricity bill?

[AnyFucker]

Did you see my last post, AP ?