View Full Version : £400 water bill. Time to move to a meter?
Had our water bill in from the lovely Anglian Water and it's increased again by around £20-30 and is now £401.
I've been looking at some figures and am thinking it's probably worth our while moving over to a meter. The only reason we haven't is that when we have kids we'll be using more water. But would we really use that much more?
I'm going to do more reading....but I think it could be a good move.
Is that per year? We pay I think £175 twice a year, around that amount and we're not on a meter. From what I've read if you have more people than rooms in your house ie 5 people in a 3 bed, it's more economical not to have a meter and vice versa.
It also depends how much water you use, showers, washing, dishwasher etc. I'm sure we'd pay more on a meter as I'm always washing clothes and using the dishwasher plus baths for the kids.
Just noticed the bit about kids, if that will be soon then I wouldn't bother with a meter. I'm not sure you can go back to not having one once you get one. We really do use a lot more than when there were just the 2 of us. Babies especially get through lots of clothes and then when they're in school it's uniforms, pre-school 2 changes a day if they have messy play etc. I use the washing machine once a day and would be more if I had more space to hang the wet clothes! Basket is never empty and that's without bedding/towels etc.
Justsomebloke
12-03-2008, 16:17
Meter is the way to go these days.
I switched to a Leccy meter a few months back & much prefer it. Obviously Never getting any bills is a massive bonus but the main thing is monitoring & being aware of your usage on a daily basis. I think you/we are to casual when it's on Quarterly & don't realise how much we waste. I am much more likely to sling a jumper on these days when i used to just put the heating on. I've got into good habits now & have saved myself quite a few quid & like i say not getting a Quartely 300 plus bill is Heaven.
I don't have any bills come through my door at all now except my BB/TV/Phone bill of 31 quid a month, Everything else i pay by payment card by bunging a few quid on them whenever i have it :cool:
Living Alone is great but every single bill that comes through the door has my name on it. Now i have it this way with a meter & my payment cards there is No stress & nothig Looming on the Horizon that will upset the apple cart.
Yep, it's £400 per year.
I keep reading different things. One makes it look like a massive saving on a meter and others seem not so close. Really not sure what to do. Only other option is to give it a stab and if it doesn't work out you can have it changed back within 6 months or a year I think it is.
FakeSnake
12-03-2008, 17:11
you lucky bu**er! :D
Our water bill is about £60/month!
and we are on a meter!
You cant go back from a meter once its installed
Ours is about £350 a year, but given that there's 4 of us we wouldn't use a meter I don't think - we do loads of washing, plus 4(+ at times) showers a day etc I'm sure we'd use more :p
Our electric is £50 a month, together with gas at £30 a month - I think the leccy is quite high?
My leccy is £67ish a quarter (I pay £20 a month DD so almost always in credit) and my water is £65ish every 6months.
I know I live on my own... but Rob is there quite a lot.
BB x
Our electric is £50 a month, together with gas at £30 a month - I think the leccy is quite high?
ours is about £50 for the 2 of us, but that includes cooking, heating and electric shower twice a day (sometimes more). I guess factoring in 4 people, you're about right there, assuming you're gas cooking and heating
Jesus Christ, I can't believe your water bill is that much. Ours is £120 per year. Why does it vary so much? It's not as if your house is that much bigger than ours.
We is in Essex init :D :(
Two of us get through about £160 per year on the water meter. We don't conserve water and both have a shower each day.
I'll eat my words now because I've just looked at my bill and we are actually on a meter :shocked: I had NO idea! We are paying between £150 and £190 per half year right now so I guess being on a meter is fine for us. I can't see how you would use as much as us so it would surely be better for you to be on one?
I'm still shocked lol.
Haha, Jodie you doughnut.
So, looking at your figures again, with just us two it should work out better. As you say, you're running the kids on those figures too so even when we have them, we should still be no worse off than we are now.
SidewinderINC
12-03-2008, 19:49
Big Snip.
Amen to that dude :D I totally agree.
I didn't know you could do water on "pay as you go" like you can with electricity though - I get a monthly DD of £15 for my water.
BBx, how can you pay so little on electricity?! I live on my todd and spend about £30 a month at least, and that's not being uneconomical, I'm a stingy as you like with my electricity!
SidewinderINC
12-03-2008, 20:10
she's out and about galavanting most of the time ;)
Hehehehe, I sometimes get back from a weekend away and think "wooh, didn't use any electricity, saved some money there" and then realise I've spent £50 on being out of the house when if I was at home I'd have probably spent £2 on electricity and not much more ;D
Haha, Jodie you doughnut.
So, looking at your figures again, with just us two it should work out better. As you say, you're running the kids on those figures too so even when we have them, we should still be no worse off than we are now.
Lol I know :D Yeah I think you'd be better off for now on a meter and as you say, won't be any worse until you have more than 3 kids at least ;D
she's out and about galavanting most of the time ;)
Lies! :D
Hee hee... well I was just about to say I have storage heaters and only turn on when I need them and all I use is... kitchen stuff, lappy, tv, stereo in mornings, phone charger, lights - but always turn off... but then again you should have storage heaters because you live round the corner from my boyf don't you??? :huh:
I'm with Scottish Power...he's with EDF and pays more.
BB x
SidewinderINC
12-03-2008, 22:17
yup, right round the corner :p Storage heater here - always turned off becuase it just costs money to have a little LED on the front, it's never warm. other than that, exactly the same usage as you.
I'm with EDF too, I guess that's why I pay more.
Sorry I'm being thick mine is £67 per quarter :o for the water. It would be a damn sight less if we didnt have to split the bill between our block.
I got confused :/
BB x
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