I have a fixed low income and am good at cutting my cloth accordingly, I have no debt and free/cheap hobbies and social life.
My average fuel consumption these past few years has been 6500kWh gas and 2000 electricity = around £750 a year. I pay quarterly, always promptly.
On very cold days I put the heating on for an hour early evening. I have reasonable insulation, heavy curtains, I ‘warm the person, not the room’ ie base layer, wool jumpers and socks, fingerless gloves and a hat, hot water bottles and electric blankets. I have an air-fryer and microwave and have two baths a week. My luxury is a small coffee machine and putting the heating on when I have visitors (because my home is definitely too cold for most people to bear!)
So I’m happy and comfortable enough BUT I’ve used an online calculator and my new annual fuel cost will be £2,400 - way, way more than I can afford!
AIBU to think why the fuck should I pay £2,400 to live like this? As I’ve no way of avoiding debt now I might as well heat my home properly and bathe and cook hot meals every day. To me, £3,400 (or £4,400) is as unaffordable as £2,400. My credit rating doesn’t matter and I’m on the ‘priority register’ so think I could avoid being put on a pre-payment meter.
AIBU?
What’s the point in being frugal anymore?
DesolationRow · 03/09/2022 15:23
Am I being unreasonable?
1046 votes. Final results.
POLLgoldfinchonthelawn · 03/09/2022 22:42
I completely agree with your first post OP. There is no logic to living so frugally if you will end up in extortionate debt anyway, so you may as well live very comfortably and maybe declare yourself bankrupt, once the debt has become impossible to contemplate.
If we are to be treated like fools we may as well live like fools, without a care in the world.
LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 03/09/2022 22:48
Won’t they repossess people’s homes if we just stopped paying? And cars, TVs, etc.
I remember the subprimes crises with people living in their car after loosing their house…
DesolationRow · 03/09/2022 22:52
@Friars23 I’ve been with British Gas on their standard variable rate for a long time, I had a prepayment meter in my old home but luckily moved last year and now pay quarterly. My approximately £750 annual usage is based on the price cap pre March 2022 (£1277). The October price cap is £3,549, which will roughly triple my annual energy cost. If it goes up again in January my bills will even higher.
mostlysunnywithshowers · 03/09/2022 18:56
From the bustle of the local shopping mall this week with families queuing up to buy Clarks shoes for 2,3,4+ children, the food courts full, I would say a lot of people have either not heard the 'news' or they've reached the same 'fuck it' conclusion. As in, if we're gonna be poor anyway then we're dam well gonna spend it now while we can. I get it.
I get it too about most 'responsible citizen' living - whats the point in living frugally and conscienciously if your fuckwit neighbours are going to carry on as of there is no tomorrow and no consequence of their actions. Because when a real consequence does arise.... well there is just a nice big bailout/ban for all, regardless of who emptied the trough or cutback.
Take the example of this summer's droughts and hosepipe bans. We rerouted our bath drainage pipes to fill a temporary rainbucket to water the garden with, our general usage for a 4 person house is less than the average 2 person house and our water bills are generally very small. We have had a small paddling pool maybe a few times all summer with only ankle deep water in. We don't do this because we can't afford more, we do it because water is a communal resource and we want to feel a responsible part of the community. Compare with idiot neighbours who have been filling a 10ft diameter pool over and over since about May, hosing down patios, stood with the hosepipe gushing water down the road to water planters and driveways. So when the water company declares a drought, do they restrict only those people who have overused? No, they do it for all. So yes, why bother when we live next to selfish c@#£s like that?
TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 03/09/2022 23:19
whoever talked about the ridiculousness of the 2020's is spot on. Growing up I never had months off school (covid), saw food banks (has heard of them but they were only for dire emergencies) or imagined a world where energy costs would basically quadruple overnight. It used to be go to school, work hard, get qualifications, get a job, progress, get more money, have a decent career. Now it's more like - what's the fucking point in any of it because they just want to take it all away so why bother.
Seriou · 03/09/2022 23:13
Why are people so against prepayment meters ? I know it’s a bit more expensive but there’s no nasty surprise bills through the door, or not knowing what to expect.
ive had them for years, including putting them into a new build house.
Or is the savings actually worth it, I don’t know ??
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the80sweregreat · 03/09/2022 23:24
Precisely this
TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 03/09/2022 23:19
whoever talked about the ridiculousness of the 2020's is spot on. Growing up I never had months off school (covid), saw food banks (has heard of them but they were only for dire emergencies) or imagined a world where energy costs would basically quadruple overnight. It used to be go to school, work hard, get qualifications, get a job, progress, get more money, have a decent career. Now it's more like - what's the fucking point in any of it because they just want to take it all away so why bother.
Whyaretheynotdoinganything · 03/09/2022 23:41
I think we need to ration energy so it’s fair.
We produce 43% energy from our own renewable resources. We need to ramp up our storage and batteries which people are working around the clock to do right now.
How would it work? Each street is scheduled to have power cuts say 3 days a week at peak hours. You know it’s coming so you have a sandwich or salad tea or have soup or stew ready in a flask. You heat your home beforehand, wrap up warm. You have gas lamps or camping lamps that are charged before electricity goes off - discourage candles as not safe. Read and go to bed early.
Energy using businesses go down to a 4 day week and hours on these days are increased to maximise production and services. It’s all planned out and led by sector bodies. Homeschooling for secondary schools 2x days per week (unpopular i know!).
Everyone encouraged to minimise energy use outside these times. Lots of public announcements and possibly legislation too eg. hot tubs banned.
If we could get our usage down as a country and we change the rules on the price so we pay what it actually costs to purchase our U.K. generated energy (and nationalise the companies) we will be paying much less per unit. Our bills will be manageable and we can work towards energy security in next 5 years.
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