Smart Meter

[Thebestdays]

Hi All

We've just had a new smart meter fitted for gas and electric...

I have no idea what's an average spend per day. We live in a 3 bed house not particularly well insulated...

I'm finding it quite stressful watching the money add up during the day

Any thoughts appreciated!

Thanks x

Your costs won't go up. Were you spending more than average based on your normal bills?

Go round turning things off an see what happens.

What sort of thoughts do you want? Smart meters only save you money if you change what you do.

I have a 3 bed house and I seem to average a bit over 7 units a day for electric but it has gone to nearer 10 this week I have been using tumbler and I guess lights are on longer as well as heating.

Gas is very low 7 units a month for cooking - cannot remember for heating as haven't had it on much yet.

@dementedpixie

I suppose I just would like to get an average spend per day so I have something to base my spending on so I'm not sitting in the dark with the heating right down.

I like the opinion that the smart meter encourages change of behaviour. My husband is delighted with it but I find it slightly stressful but I suppose I know that I have been rubbish about heating and electric... I have been known to leave lights on and have the heating blasting... but that's about to change I think...

duh! I have dual fuel from British Gas and I've got one of those. It sits on my docking station table along with all the other electronics. I don't look at it, actually.

The average spend per household is about £100 pm for gas and electric, this is based on what Martin Lewis always says when talking about switching suppliers.

There's probably also OFGEM figures, and these will be more accurate than a handful of comments from random people with no context about their family size, house size, type of heating, insulation, how careful they are, what they have in terms of heating, water heating tumble dryer usage, how long they are in the house, what tariff they are on, etc etc.

Also bear in mind that obviously you use more heat and light in winter, so it will look bad now, but you will use a lot less in the summer.

Thanks @BarbaraofSeville

That's very helpful, I'll average at this and see how I compare... (she's says going to put a jumper on and light a candle)

It will be a lot more in winter than in summer.

Assuming you have energy-saving or LED lightbulb, cost of lighting will be negligible, so you can look at the usage by tumble drier (especially), electric shower and immersion heater.

Significant usage is from things that make heat.

Remember that cost of energy from electricity is more than four times the cost of energy from gas.

If you want to start comparing, look up your bills from last year and calculate usage from the meter readings (not the amount of the direct debit).

You will be able to calculate average daily usage per quarter. I do it per calendar month so it's easy to see if pattern changes. For example new, more efficient fridge freezers cut usage, and a modern boiler cut it a lot.

You will spot the difference UF you turn down the heat in unused rooms, or turn down the stat when the house is empty.

We're a family of 4 and spend about £1 a day on electric, with the pond pump running. If we cook tea it jumps to about £1.20. With gas our smart meter isn't registering a cost, just units but we're using about 50-60 kwh a day at the moment in a well insulated 3 bed semi. In the coldest weather I expect this to jump to about 80-90.

If you want to save a big wedge the best way is using a time of use tariff like the one I use from Octopus Agile.
I have gone from £132 a month to less than £60 for 775 kwh which is high useage

Only thing is minimise your use during the peak times of 4pm to 7pm.

Check what you are paying per kwh its normally between 15p and 18p

With Agile I average 6p
There is no contract you can move anytime.
Use my referral code and get £50
share.octopus.energy/mint-glow-134

Thanks for all your responses. I'm currently working out at around £7 per day which feels high...

We've decided to buy a heavy curtain for the front door this weekend as it's whistling in the hall with drafts.

Certainly more mindful of what's on in the house and when but I still find the meter stressful to look at

Thanks @Streamdvd I'll look in to this!

@Thebestdays you wont regret it I am in a large house with 6 adults and my totals are at least 50% of your £7.
If you can use middle of night for washers and driers you can really cut your cost even more
The other thing you will find is the utility companys charge extortionate day standing charges.
Extra Energy who I was with charge 34p each standing charge so just that adds £22 a month before you use any energy
Compare that to £11.16 from Octopus.

My spend is about £2-3 per day from October-March total for gas and electric but it's a new build so quite efficient. Then April- September it's £1-2 per day. But I have the rental charge or whatever they call it on top of that too.

@Streamdvd

That's interesting. Bulb have a tariff like that as well which is optional rather than the single fixed rate.

I was hoping to get a smart meter to properly judge usage before I take the plunge.

I am always wary of the 'don't have washing machine running etc while you are asleep' which I think I would want to do on that tariff.

Also your average ppu sounds like the and it's must be different to bulb as mine would not get near down that low on average I don't think.

In my 3 bed end of terrace....nothing on was 1 to 2 p per hour electric and ,0 on gas. A couple of lights 3 to 4 p per hour. A kettle make it jumps up as does the microwave e.g 25p per hour. Washing machine no where near as bad. Cooker (electric) high. We used gas for hot water and heating only. Put and extra jumper on before putting the heating on. Just keep watching and you wi get used to your spend. I do think it helps reduce it. Now my meter is in the bedroom as it's the only place it gets signal and I put the heating in way too much!!

If we're all sharing referral links here then here we go...

www.bulb.me/stevenc0389?utm_campaign=app-referral-share&utm_medium=copy-link&utm_source=copy-button

Bulb is the only supplier guaranteeing to fit SMETS2 smart meters which means you can switch and keep the smart functions.

£50 off your first bill with my link. Vs you get referral links of your own up to £75 that you can use as much as you want.

Bulb dont come anywhere near and am sure their standing charges are higher

You dont have to use a washing machine at night as that's just the cheapest rates but apart from peak times as I said it's always cheaper than anyone else.
I didnt mention it but we have an ev car too last month my electricity was £55 for 775kwh used.
Previously we paid at least £40 a month for the car alone.
I live in a large 1960s house .
I have recommended friends to this and all have said they have halved their electricity cost .
I moved 3 months ago and octopus installed a SMEts 2 a month in.
Gas is cheaper than any body else at .323p kwh

You can move to octopus agile via my referral code get the £50 try it and if you dont like it move whenever you want however I bet you wont.

And the first of the peak rate charging starts. When sufficient houses have these things it will no longer be optional. It’s going to hit families with young children hardest as peak rate starts when they come home from school tired and hungry and you darent put the heating on as it’ll cost a fortune.

I’ll just delay my evening meal but that’s not an option for a 6 year old.

Actually time of use requires simple planning it's not that you use nothing in peak just dont use the electric oven would cost 96p an hour and Clothes drier 66p roughly those are the most expensive users.
We do all our cooking and reheating in peak still .
Dont forget gas is standard rate at all times.

If anyone wants to save on heating get Honeywell Evohome radiator valves installed on every radiator.
This way we dont heat rooms that arent being used.
I have saved 40% plus when I am home alone I now can have my room warm rather than heating the whole house.

If anyone wants to see real costs for Octopus Agile they post them the day before at 4pm.
On Android devices download the Octopus Tariff app from five valley systems ltd.
This will show you the rates for every half hour.
Theres a plug from a company called ecopush that you can say use my drier only when electricity is cheap if you like me want everything simple and automated.

Planning to that degree is simply not possible for many especially if you're working. It's not recommended to leave appliances running unattended but people will if they are priced out of using them whilst they are at home. There are still plenty of those faulty Hotpoint dryers out there.

As I said, it's the poorest and most disadvantaged who will suffer most. Power companies will do all they can to keep the profits up and the shareholders happy, If energy usage falls then they will need to get the extra revenue in pricing to make up for it.

Gas heating is being phased out - all new houses will be electric from 2025.

We all work and can use most appliances post 7pm when electricity is cheap.
If however you are on less money as I am then this will save you dosh.
After all why do people drive to an Asda for cheap fuel when the BP is next door simple it saves them money in my case instead of looking at the negatives I save £70 a month on Electricity alone