Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Want to save a few hundred pounds a year and help conserve a scare resource? Want to give less of your money to a big company and keep more yourself? Simple! Just think about water. And specifically, think about getting a water meter.
Over the years I watched in amazement as my annual water bill went up and up and up again. In one year it was £237. Then £247 the next. The one after that there was a giant leap to £304. As I live alone, shower in my health club most mornings and work abroad three months of the year, I thought something was not right.
Then a plumber friend told me to have a water meter installed. But this wasn’t straightforward. First I had to register for an Optional Metering Scheme, which involved phone calls and paperwork. Then I had to wait for three months. But it was worth it.
“When the water meter man arrived he extolled the virtues of the meter. He was a man who loved his job. He told me that “This meter will make you very aware of how much water you use and what it costs. You’ll not only save a lot of money, but you’ll find yourself using less because you will think of water differently.”
He was right. My annual bill went from £304.00 to £96.00, for starters. Over two hundred pounds less! And I started paying attention to how I used water.”
Here are a few ways you can save water:
Finally (after you stop boring your friends with the tale of how you saved money with your water meter!) enjoy it by spending wisely or saving it.
Also, spare a thought for people who can only dream of turning on a tap to have clean water. You might want to send a celebratory contribution to one of the charities that help provide water to the developing world. Check out www.wateraid.org.uk
This is a guest blog from journalist Tira Shubart
Want to save even more money on your energy bills? Read our other articles:
I have a Hippo water saver in my toilet cistern.
I also use grey water from washing-up to flush the toilet but not sure about using it to water my plants though!
I miss having baths as my flat only has a shower stall but I’m getting a bath installed this year.
I’ve learned a lot about water conservation from my volunteering with Don Catchment Rivers Trust, where we go out litter picking and doing river clean-up work. I really enjoy getting my waders on and going in the water!
Definitely think water meters can save you money.