Do you think i am being stingy?

[Deleted User]

I live by myself and boyfriend visits regularly. We have an arrangement on the nights he comes round, whoever doesn't cook washes up. Usually I cook, he washes.

Now on an average week, I work shifts and go to the gym/swimming pool, so have my showers there, boyfriend also swims or has showers elsewhere.

I'd say about once a week, usually weekends we have a bath or shower at my house.

Now due to this i don't have the hot water on everyday, i think its pointless, if i'm not here to use it, to have it ticking over twice day for the sake of it. If there is washing up to be done i'll boil a kettle. 5 mins over 2 hours a day.

However i was mentioning this to b/f and whilst he agreed on some level its not worth having on if we are not using it, he said its a pain when he starts the washing up to boil a kettle.

However I pay the bill, he doesn't. We are going to move in together soon, so then he will be contributing to the bill.

Firstly do you think I am being stingy? If so, how can we find a compromise to suit us both?

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

ffacoffipawb

Have the hot water on a timer to come on 1 hour before you get home. This will ensure copious hot water when you get home!

It probably costs a few pence, but gas is cheaper than electric so may prove cheaper than boiling a kettle anyway if you have Gas CH.

And yes, you are being stingy.

But you could be much worse than stingy.

grumbler

If your hot water cylinder has good insulation I think it is not very costly just to maintain needed temperature of water. The actual cost will mainly depend on how much hot water you use.

DarkHorse

No you are not being stingey!

If you are not using the hot water why pay to have it heated up every day?

I completely agree that you should not heat the tank if it is not necessary.....not just the financial cost, but the environmental cost must be thought about.

If it is just a kettle that needs to be boiled to do the washing up, I agree that this is what you should do.

rchddap1

Over time you will both work out what is best for you. My partner and I live together and when we moved into our new house we carefully set up the hot water and heating timers. After a while I thought that it was on for longer than we needed so I altered the times. Has he noticed...has he heck.

There is nothing stingey about making sure that you're not wasting money...that's the whole point of this site. Is there a time when he usually does the washing up? Can you set the hot water timer so that it goes on for just long enough to give you some hot water when it needs to be done?

simonleblank

I have lowered the temperature guage on my hot water and nobody has noticed. Also, have you considered bathing Together?, the added bonus is when you bath, you need less water to cover you!