Unsure how I can afford these bills

[onebornsecibd]

I've just moved in with a mate who has different lifestyle habits.

Her room is heated all the time to 24 degrees and she uses the tumble dryer etc to dry clothes.

Last night she put the heating on when she was going to bed, and she's got a heated blanket.

Yesterday we spent £7 in total on gas and electric.

I think she just feels the cold more but I would I rather put of turning on the heat until it actually gets colder.

We split the bills. I though it would be cheaper to live together but it's actually more expensive :(

AIBU to hold of turning on the heating until a bit later in the year?

The living room is about 19/20 and heating kicks on to 21.

Can you move out?

I'd try to find something else.

No. It costs a lot of money to move.

I just don't understand people who are cold.

You need to talk about this before the bills get out of control.

if you can’t agree on middle ground for dates/temperatures, then the only solution is looking to move out

We still have all our windows and doors open . Where do you live that she is so cold ? I'd buy her a fleece onesie and ask her to wear that rather than put the heating on .. and get a heated airer

Time you had a chat about bills then.

I think you need to have an honest but calm chat about it.

If I was your flatmate, I'd be very happy to pay a larger share of the bills if I wanted to keep the heating on.

I've got a heater airer and it took two days to dry two loads of washing. That wasn't the best option.

She's not the brightest. Has stuff covering her radiator and a big mirror.

I'm someone that feels the cold a lot (I'm currently in a fleece jumper under a fleece blanket 😂) but even I think putting the heating on now is ridiculous, and especially to 24 degrees. Who wants it that hot?! Just get a hot water bottle.

We've only just moved in, since august and haven't had a bill yet. I've just been manually reading meters :/

Talk to your mate.

I think she would only want to put on the heating.

I'm a person who feels the cold and would love to have the heat on all the time. I can't afford to do that so it will have to remain off for another month at least. In the meantime I'll be using blankets, lots of jumpers and woolly socks to keep warm. Suggest to your flatmate that she does the same, otherwise suggest she has to pay a much bigger part of the heating bill as you can't afford it. As a previous poster said above, it's important you sort this out now.

@dayofcheese she says she's cold. And as a blanket on etc.

Your friend needs to pay a larger proportion of the heating/electric bill if her use is this excessive.

How much cheaper is you rent sharing with a friend?
How much were your energy bills previously?
If your energy bills end up being £150pm each would this negate the saving you have made living with a friend?

She said we need to split it 50/50 as agreed.

Sorry for leaving that out.

Can you swap rooms? Is her room particularly cold

Have a discussion and try to come to a compromise over what temperature to have the thermostat at e.g. 22 max. Any higher and she has to pay more towards the bills.

Where has she lived before? With parents? house share with bills included? heavily insulated new build?

You say she's not the brightest, do you think she's aware how much utilities have gone up by?

I know you've just moved in, but can you just mention that utility bills are still going to be high this year, and you may need to agree a plan for heating and drying clothes sp you're both not paying a fortune?

I'm cold, it's really horrible and even painful at times and I'd be happier to pay an extra %

You'll have to tell her you can't afford to subsidise her excessive use of heating/electric, she uses more she pays more.

Absolute nonsense. The heating does not need to be on at the moment - unless you drip feed and say you’re in the Scotland highlands.

She wears a fleece and socks/slippers around the house and watches telly under a duvet/blanket.

We have a son in a wheelchair and can’t control his own temperature, yet we haven’t got our heating. He has a blanket over him.

You need to have an honest conversation with her. Explain your can’t afford the luxury of heating your home to tropic temperatures. The heating staying off/goes lower or she pays a higher percentage of the bill when it comes in.

I'm sat here with doors and windows open in a vest top. Kids are wandering about in shorts and t-shirts. We are also sleeping with the bedroom windows open. I couldn't cope if someone wanted to put the heating on. But if my SIL were here she'd be wearing a coat and a wooly hat right now.

Buy them a Oodie for Christmas !