How A Smart Meter Will Help You Save On Student Energy Bills

When I came to London for postgraduate studies, I was aware of the high cost of living and prepared to sacrifice my comforts to afford necessary things like food and transportation.

However, I had not expected heating bills to become one of my major financial headaches. As November set in, I began to experience London's winter firsthand, living alone in my studio. The first energy bill just floored me - it was still expensive, considering the heating was turned on for just several hours per day. It suddenly seemed like a luxury to be warm, and I had bundled myself up in blankets and hoodies, almost fearful to turn on the heat.

That's when I decided to get a smart meter installed. Setup was painless: an installer came on-site, installed the smart meter, and then walked me through how to read the data on my smart meter display. I didn't really expect much until I saw near real-time information on my energy use; it opened my eyes.

The display showed my consumption in clear numbers, complete with the translation in pounds and pence. It was as if somebody was doing the math right in front of my eyes, making it plain how much energy I was using and what it was costing me.

I became more mindful about how my habits used resources and cost money, such as leaving the electric heater on whenever I ran out to the library or went out having coffee with friends. Those little half-hours added up more than I'd realised, and the smart meter display made that clear.

Late-night study sessions also had me boiling water constantly for tea or reheating food in the microwave - quicker conveniences that I hadn't considered costly until I saw my energy spike each time on the display. The changes in my habits came almost immediately. I turned down the heater or switched it off before I went out, boiled only the amount of water needed for my tea, and cut down on my shower time. Individually, these changes were small but reflected on my energy bill over time.

Something that used to feel irrepressibly compulsory started turning into something within my control, which I could influence by even the very simple day-to-day decisions that I make. As an economics student, I look at this as fundamentally a practical assignment of resource management. To understand the direct impact my energy choices have on my budget is a function that is empowering and motivating. Indeed, it makes the smart meter take that overwhelming cost and turn it into something manageable with just a little awareness.

A smart meter has given me some peace of mind to know I'm no longer at the mercy of unpredictable bills. If you are a student in the UK, then the main recommendation will be to get a smart meter: they won't solve all of your budgeting problems, but they at least give more control over one of the biggest hidden costs of student life. And in a place as expensive as London, every pound one saves on energy is another pound one can spend elsewhere, whether that be a coffee with friends or just the comfort of staying warm without worries about the next energy bill.

Want to do more to help with sustainability initiatives in the UK via our partner SOS-UK?

Celebrate World Food Day & enter our sustainable food quiz - find out more about food, farming, climate & nature, AND be in with the chance to win a £50 voucher! https://sos-uk.typeform.com/farming-quiz

We have 2 upcoming opportunities for students to get involved, receive IEMA-Approved environmental auditing training and then apply that learning by auditing practices.

The audits will be for a range of primary care practices across England and Wales, which includes GPs, Dentists, Opticians and Pharmacists'. This is a great opportunity to learn more about sustainability in healthcare and a chance to audit practices from a range of primary care backgrounds.

There are 2 auditor training session opportunities available, both held online: dates are below:

Wednesday 6th November (to virtually audit primary care practices in Wales). The audits will take place on the same day, in the afternoon following the morning of mandatory training

Tuesday 12th November (to virtually audit practices in England). The audits themselves will be planned at a mutually convenient time between the auditor and the healthcare team at some point before the end of November and will also take place online.

For either opportunity, interested students should please complete this form latest by 1st November 2024.

For any questions or more information, contact Celine.Clark@sos-uk.org or Beatrice.Anomah@sos-uk.org