Why do you think your energy bill is higher than the national average?

Alnat1

Do 10 happy birthdays if you want but don't use hot water. It's the soap that washes the germs off, nothing to do with water temperature.

deano2099

The TV, Computer, xbox, and lights are on pretty much permanently

Just use alcohol gel unless your hands are visibly stained, to be fair. No need for water at all.

Plasticman

We all eat and drink at different times so the oven and kettle is always going on and off

Mine is above average because.....

1. We have more people than "average" in the house
2. Some of those people are teenagers who still don't seem capable of finding the "off" button
3. I suspect that one of those teenagers is a mermaid due to the number of hours she spends in the shower
4. We end up eating at different times because certain teenagers appear to be nocturnal so rarely want to join us at dinner time
5. There is always somebody in the house. Sometimes I've no idea who they are, but they're here. They can't work the off button either. 

michaels

We don't do any of the above and the meter must be faulty

Plasticman said:

Mine is above average because.....

1. We have more people than "average" in the house
2. Some of those people are teenagers who still don't seem capable of finding the "off" button
3. I suspect that one of those teenagers is a mermaid due to the number of hours she spends in the shower
4. We end up eating at different times because certain teenagers appear to be nocturnal so rarely want to join us at dinner time
5. There is always somebody in the house. Sometimes I've no idea who they are, but they're here. They can't work the off button either. 

Do we share a house?

ariarnia

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

[Deleted User]

ariarnia said:

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

I don't despair when people say sensible things like "can we cut back" or "maybe I'll use X a little less".  I do when there are stories about people planning to sit in the dark because they've misunderstood how little it actually costs to run a lightbulb.

ariarnia

[Deleted User] said:

ariarnia said:

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

I don't despair when people say sensible things like "can we cut back" or "maybe I'll use X a little less".  I do when there are stories about people planning to sit in the dark because they've misunderstood how little it actually costs to run a lightbulb.

i know a couple who are planning on going to bed early sot he lights/heating aren't on and who have removed bulbs. these are people who are already low energy users and have already cut back much further than we have. 

yes those things won't make a big difference but they're worried and scared about rising prices and taking half the bulbs out of a mains light fitting or using a side lamp rather than the 'big' lamp makes them feel like they're doing something. you might despair but if doing those things makes them feel some control over a hugely uncontrollable situation then it's not pointless. 

markin

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

I don't despair when people say sensible things like "can we cut back" or "maybe I'll use X a little less".  I do when there are stories about people planning to sit in the dark because they've misunderstood how little it actually costs to run a lightbulb.

i know a couple who are planning on going to bed early sot he lights/heating aren't on and who have removed bulbs. these are people who are already low energy users and have already cut back much further than we have. 

yes those things won't make a big difference but they're worried and scared about rising prices and taking half the bulbs out of a mains light fitting or using a side lamp rather than the 'big' lamp makes them feel like they're doing something. you might despair but if doing those things makes them feel some control over a hugely uncontrollable situation then it's not pointless. 

Taking 3 out of 6 bulbs out of a chandelier is sensible, But the are many posts saying they will sit in the Dark, Or use candles that will actually cost far more!

ariarnia

markin said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

I don't despair when people say sensible things like "can we cut back" or "maybe I'll use X a little less".  I do when there are stories about people planning to sit in the dark because they've misunderstood how little it actually costs to run a lightbulb.

i know a couple who are planning on going to bed early sot he lights/heating aren't on and who have removed bulbs. these are people who are already low energy users and have already cut back much further than we have. 

yes those things won't make a big difference but they're worried and scared about rising prices and taking half the bulbs out of a mains light fitting or using a side lamp rather than the 'big' lamp makes them feel like they're doing something. you might despair but if doing those things makes them feel some control over a hugely uncontrollable situation then it's not pointless. 

Taking 3 out of 6 bulbs out of a chandelier is sensible, But the are many posts saying they will sit in the Dark, Or use candles that will actually cost far more!

if they already have a candle stash (lots of people do) then there's no extra cost in using the candles they already have. or if they have 50 to spend now on candles then they can buy them now and they're not worrying about what the bill will be in the future or about possible power cuts then that not worrying is also worth something. or going to bed rather than turning on lights.

like i said the feeling that you are doing something and have some control might not have monetary value but that doesn't mean they're doing something because they're too stupid to realise the cost of turning on a lightbulb. people do things all the time that might result in being more expensive or not needed in the long run but give them peace of mind in the meantime. 

Spoonie_Turtle

ariarnia said:

markin said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

mar7t1n said:

I despair when I hear people say we'll have to stop using the tumble drying, or we need to cut back. Surely the summer is the time to save, and prep for the winter. Why is average household energy consumption so high?

do you honestly not understand that EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive. not just electric? food, transport, energy, clothes, council tax, water rates, internet. i can't think of a single one of our bills that hasn't gone up in the last year. 

people on an income which means a year ago they could comfortably manage their lifestyle and outgoings are now struggling. that means they need to cut back where they can even if they don't use more than the average. 

I don't despair when people say sensible things like "can we cut back" or "maybe I'll use X a little less".  I do when there are stories about people planning to sit in the dark because they've misunderstood how little it actually costs to run a lightbulb.

i know a couple who are planning on going to bed early sot he lights/heating aren't on and who have removed bulbs. these are people who are already low energy users and have already cut back much further than we have. 

yes those things won't make a big difference but they're worried and scared about rising prices and taking half the bulbs out of a mains light fitting or using a side lamp rather than the 'big' lamp makes them feel like they're doing something. you might despair but if doing those things makes them feel some control over a hugely uncontrollable situation then it's not pointless. 

Taking 3 out of 6 bulbs out of a chandelier is sensible, But the are many posts saying they will sit in the Dark, Or use candles that will actually cost far more!

if they already have a candle stash (lots of people do) then there's no extra cost in using the candles they already have. or if they have 50 to spend now on candles then they can buy them now and they're not worrying about what the bill will be in the future or about possible power cuts then that not worrying is also worth something. or going to bed rather than turning on lights.

like i said the feeling that you are doing something and have some control might not have monetary value but that doesn't mean they're doing something because they're too stupid to realise the cost of turning on a lightbulb. people do things all the time that might result in being more expensive or not needed in the long run but give them peace of mind in the meantime. 

I understand this, but how far does that peace of mind go when they find out their bills are still just as high?  How far does it go when they're miserable and not making any real difference?  Much better to be making actually useful changes.  I've certainly felt reassured to know that LEDs are the cheapest solution for lighting, how little they cost even on the darkest days.  And I feel much more in control being able to make informed decisions that I know will.make a difference, than making decisions based on ignorance or myth.

Yes candles can be useful for power cuts but torches (especially wind-up - free energy) or the LED torch on one's phone (even better with a precharged power bank just in case) are much better.  That spare £50 would be better spent than on candles.