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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?

570 replies

InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest · 22/02/2022 10:13

This is my latest electricity bill. I live alone, in a big (five-bed) house. I am very careful with electricity and gas usage because that's how I was brought up. I don't leave lights on when I leave a room, I use the washing machine every other day and same with the tumble dryer. I use a hair dryer/styling tools once every couple of weeks. Heating is gas and so is cooking. I have checked the meter and it seems to be working just fine. Does this bill seem correct to you? If so, do you mind sharing how much you use/pay and how many people you live with? AIBU in saying that this is not normal for a person living alone? Thank you.

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
FangsForTheMemory · 22/02/2022 21:52

You live alone in a huge house, of course it's going to be expensive to heat. Why don't you let a couple of rooms to other people? You don't have to make a lot of money, just enough to cover your bills.

Using4532 · 22/02/2022 21:55

We have 2 fridges and 3 freezers, 2 of which are quite old, I haven't noticed that our bills are particularly high

bellabasset · 22/02/2022 21:57

I"m on my own in a small 3 bed stone and cobb cottage with 2' thick walls. I cook by electric, use the tumble dryer, do at least 4 washes a week with clothes, towels sheets etc I have gas ch. I use on average 2400 kw electric per year and 7500 kw gas annually. I used 247 kw elec last month.

Loki01 · 22/02/2022 22:02

Crazy usage!

4 ppl in 4 bedroom house. I am on maternity so at home. We have gas heating and use around 270 kW in 30 days. So we spend around £70 a month (have a higher unit price than you).

mishmased · 22/02/2022 22:17

@InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest our is a 4 bed semi house only electricity. 2 adults (1 wfh and 1 mat leave), baby and two school children under 10. Approx 3 wash loads weekly, cook a lot, underfloor heating. We also have an air to water heat pump. Our bill for 60 days is approx €354 (approx £295) for 60 days and 1284KW used.
I would expect it to be this high as we had Christmas lights on. I'd say going by usage, yours seems a bit cheaper than mine as similar usage but higher bill. I'm in Ireland and everything is more expensive here 🤷‍♀️

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?
PoshWatchShitShoes · 22/02/2022 22:25

Not sure how many KW we use, but our combined gas/electric is an average of £411 per month.

Estimated to go up to £610 per month from April!!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ The price of utilities and council tax is out of control in the UK

MRex · 22/02/2022 22:54

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Not sure how many KW we use, but our combined gas/electric is an average of £411 per month.

Estimated to go up to £610 per month from April!!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ The price of utilities and council tax is out of control in the UK

Just look at your online account or bill, that will tell you what you use.

Ours is still £129 for both fuels in a 4 bed house, so you are a very heavy user.

NameChangeNymph · 22/02/2022 22:55

3 bed semi.

Me, DH & toddler.

Washing machine on 5 days a week, tumble dryer once a week, no dishwasher.

DH works from home - 9-5, Monday - Friday.

Hall light and livingroom lamps left on constantly. TV on throughout the day. We also charge several devices daily/overnight.

Pay £78pm DD for both gas and electricity. Currently £258 in credit.

Mo819 · 22/02/2022 22:58

Mine was £149 for 18 days 3 bed house.3 kids

Whoopsmahoot · 22/02/2022 23:02

3 in a 4 bed with 2 working from home all week. Last couple months £140 gas £140 electric each month. Not sure what April will bring but it won’t b good. Currently well in credit.

Eucalyptusbee · 22/02/2022 23:06

You ought to downsize

HesterShaw1 · 22/02/2022 23:08

@Mo819

Mine was £149 for 18 days 3 bed house.3 kids
That's £8.27 a day! Christ! What were you using it on?
HesterShaw1 · 22/02/2022 23:10

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Not sure how many KW we use, but our combined gas/electric is an average of £411 per month.

Estimated to go up to £610 per month from April!!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ The price of utilities and council tax is out of control in the UK

I don't want to sound rude and I agree the price utilities is very high, but I think your electricity and gas consumption is also out of control
SparklyShoesandTutus · 22/02/2022 23:21

Your usage does seem high. We are a family of 4 both adults working from home and we would use about 900kw over 46 days. Our cooker is electric and in the evenings there are usually at least 2 tvs on, we do daily washes, and usually have numerous devices on charge. Kids regularly leave lights on but we have swapped so all are LEDs which helps reduce consumption. 1246kw seems like a lot for one person to use. Do you have a smart meter can you try and identify what might be using so much?

hamsterchump · 22/02/2022 23:24

@mam0918

I know its not the point but...

How on earth does everyone find or afford to own 5-bed houses?

We really need a 4 bed (me and DH, teenager, disabled child and baby of opposite sex that by law cant share with teen) and as we both work from home so the 5th bedroom as an office would be great.

We live in a rented 3 bed, we have had a deposit ready for years but bar the 1 million+ houses (in a cheap area of the UK where average property prices run from 20k for a 1 bed do upper in a rough area to 300k for a 3 bed new build in a good area on average) then there are just no 4 or 5 bed houses around here.

Unless you have some exceptional circumstances or something you haven't mentioned; while it may not be ideal, in the UK there is no age at which it's unlawful for siblings to share a room, including siblings of the opposite sex.
middleager · 22/02/2022 23:30

I've voted YABU as we are a family of four in a 5 bed semi and used 450kw from 1 Jan to 15 Feb.
We are both wfh too. That seems like high usage!

Justkeeppedaling · 22/02/2022 23:31

Stop with the tumble drier, and all the clothes washing. That will reduce your bill considerably.

T00Ts · 22/02/2022 23:33

Ignore the posters decrying, ‘down size you selfish wench, how dare you live in such a large house alone? Don’t you know you’re preventing families from buying homes!’ etc etc @InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest

And I’ll move in as a lodger. Because I like painting and I like horses. Smile

middleager · 22/02/2022 23:34

@middleager

I've voted YABU as we are a family of four in a 5 bed semi and used 450kw from 1 Jan to 15 Feb. We are both wfh too. That seems like high usage!
Unit price 19.61p
SleepingStandingUp · 22/02/2022 23:45

@Eucalyptusbee

You ought to downsize
Why ought she?
SleepingStandingUp · 22/02/2022 23:46

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Not sure how many KW we use, but our combined gas/electric is an average of £411 per month.

Estimated to go up to £610 per month from April!!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ The price of utilities and council tax is out of control in the UK

What size house? I think it might be your USE of utilities thats out of control too
SleepingStandingUp · 22/02/2022 23:49

@Justkeeppedaling

Stop with the tumble drier, and all the clothes washing. That will reduce your bill considerably.
Yes op, you don't need clean clothes or bedding. Just let them get dirty and stained and tell people it's a new eco policy and that's why you stink
Frazzled50yrold · 22/02/2022 23:49

I've reduced my bills significantly by using a remoska.It more than paid for itself in the first quarter. Whole meals can be cooked in it , couldn't recommend it highly enough.Our oven used to be heated for 4 fish fingers and it didn't make any sense.

hamsterchump · 22/02/2022 23:54

@InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest

This is my latest electricity bill. I live alone, in a big (five-bed) house. I am very careful with electricity and gas usage because that's how I was brought up. I don't leave lights on when I leave a room, I use the washing machine every other day and same with the tumble dryer. I use a hair dryer/styling tools once every couple of weeks. Heating is gas and so is cooking. I have checked the meter and it seems to be working just fine. Does this bill seem correct to you? If so, do you mind sharing how much you use/pay and how many people you live with? AIBU in saying that this is not normal for a person living alone? Thank you.
You aren't careful with your usage at all based on your follow up posts. You sound very well off thank you and are clearly unwilling to change anything which is your prerogative so your bill sounds completely understandable and normal for you yes.

Expect your bill to go up when your cheap fix ends and do try to at least feign sympathy for those less well off than you who can't so easily afford to absorb such costs, not doing so does rather make one appear an awful ass you know.

silentpool · 23/02/2022 01:44

I live alone and use 6 kWh a day. That includes daily dishwasher use, washing machine 2-3 times a week. No tumble dryer and I am careful with heating/cooling costs, switch things off at the plug etc. Your usage does seem very high.