Mum, 56, saved £222 a year on water bills by getting meter
Martin Lewis explains how to save money on your water bills
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A mum of five was able to slash her water bill in half after contacting her provider for a meter. Karen Hudson, 56, was paying £43 a month for her water, but her bills dropped to £24.50 after getting one fitted.
She said to The Sun: “I was shocked by how much I was saving.
“We’re not on a huge amount of money because I have multiple sclerosis, which means I can’t work and we have to be quite frugal with money – any saving is an advantage.”
Water bills are often labelled “the forgotten utility” as people assume they can’t save on this as they can’t switch water providers.
However, switching to a water meter can make all the difference.
The average saving after getting a meter is £200 a year, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW).
The savings could come in handy, as water bills have risen by up to £36 this year.
Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis has previously encouraged Britons to check if they qualify for a water meter.
The financial journalist’s “very simple rule of thumb” is that those with more rooms in their house than people should see if they can switch to a water meter.
He said: “You’re being priced on the value of your house. If you have a big house, your bill will be quite high as it will assume you’re using a lot of water.
“But if there’s only a few of you, you won’t be using as much water as you’re being billed for, so you’d be far better on a water meter.”
To check if people can be saving money, they can use the water meter calculator on ccwater.org.uk.
Mr Lewis continued: “If you have a big water bill it’s definitely worth checking out if you can get a water meter.
“It may not always save money for some people, but it’s worth checking.”
Karen lives in a four-bedroom home with her husband, and her children have all grown up.
After reading Mr Lewis’s tips, she was convinced she would save money so she visited her water supplier’s website to apply for a meter.
She filled out an online form and eventually got it installed.
After the water meter was installed, Karen was shocked at the savings she was making over the year after her monthly direct debits were amended to reflect her water usage based on the meter readings.
Before, her bills racked up to £516, but now she pays £294 a year. This is a saving of £222.
She said: “With energy bills going up, the saving we’re making on water bills comes in handy.
“I’m not panicking every time we’re turning the taps on.”
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