HOW SMART METERS ARE HELPING PEOPLE SAVE MONEY
Read these smart meter reviews below and see how people are using their smart meters to save money and budget more easily.
Sarah
I have my in-home display set to show how much gas and electric credit I have left on my meter, so I can keep tabs on my monthly spend and when I might need to top up. I find it really helpful with budgeting because it's helped me to understand how much some appliances cost to use.
I feel like I've got control over my energy use - I know how much to top up, what things are going to cost to use and how I can keep everything in budget.
My smart meter has helped me find ways to keep my monthly spend down, so when I can see that I'm down to my last few pounds then I think to myself "I can't be leaving the TV on all the time", which is a good thing - it definitely makes me more aware of how much I'm spending. I think I've managed to save about £20 a month because I've been more conscious of what I'm using and what things cost.
Sarah has saved around £20 a month with her smart meter
Nicola
My energy bills were really expensive and I had no idea why - they were more expensive than my friends' bills even though they had a house and I'm living in a flat. My supplier suggested I have a smart meter fitted so I could keep a better track of my usage.
Since having my smart meter installed I've definitely changed the way I use energy. Before I had it installed I paid around £100 a month on my gas and electricity. But because I want to bring down the bills, I am now looking at what I use and working out what costs more money to run and how I can make savings. I think I'm saving around £10 a month now, but I'd like to find a way to save more!
Because I can see what I'm spending it makes budgeting so much easier and I feel much more in control of my energy use, and I know that I won't get a shock when I receive my bill.
Kelvin
We're quite proactive about looking at different ways we can change our behaviour around the home to bring down energy wastage and help us to save. We've got lots of appliances in the house but having a smart meter means that we've now got more of an understanding of how much each thing uses.The computer was a major energy guzzler, so having this understanding has meant that we've managed to make savings on our monthly bill which allows us to spend on other luxuries, something that wasn't always possible before. You can't argue with that - me and my pocket are very happy.
Not only has it put more money back in our pockets, our smart meter means we have much more of a sense of control over our energy costs. I've stopped worrying about what we're spending on energy and have the opportunity to think about something else.
I'm on prepay so, the other major plus is that I can now top up simply via an app on my phone, making the experience so much better than that of an old style prepay meter.
Pat
We're always budgeting for outgoings such as energy and this is made so much easier by using our smart meter to keep a close eye on how much we're spending and to see the areas where we might be able to cut down and save a bit on our energy bills.
Being able to see my near real time monthly balance gives me the transparency over my energy use that I didn't have before. For example, I've always been adamant that I would never scrimp on heating, it's something that's very important to me.
But instead of my smart meter making me concerned about how much my heating costs me, it's actually just been really reassuring to be able to keep an eye on things.
On the other hand, seeing my near real time energy balance has definitely highlighted places that I know we can cut down - for example, where possible we now to try to hang out the washing rather than tumble dry it.
Pat finds it reassuring to be able to keep an eye on what her energy is costing
Delyth
After I had my smart meter installed I soon noticed that I was using less energy than my tariff suggested. I wouldn't usually think to give my supplier a call but when you see how much you're using right in front of you it does make you wonder if you can cut back a bit.
My supplier told me I could move to a new, cheaper tariff and I've really noticed the difference. I'm now near the end of that one and I'll be looking to call up again. It's great that having my smart meter has encouraged these money saving changes.
I've found it so reassuring to know my bills are accurate with a smart meter. I can check my bill online or keep regular tabs on my in-home display, so I feel confident in my energy use and like I've actually got control over it. I know I'm not using more than I can afford because I can see it, and better still, I know that when I get my quarterly bill, it's going to be one that's in budget.
I do think a smart meter can make it a bit easier to make savings, you're just more aware and you know you're not wasting energy just for the sake of it.
Delyth's smart meter showed her she could make greater savings by switching tariff
You may also be interested in...
- How to get a smart meter – the three main steps to get a smart meter.
- Mythbusting smart meter problems – we set the record straight about some of the key smart meter concerns.
- Smart meter benefits – find out about the other benefits of smart meters
