Handy Martin Lewis tip helped me slash an essential bill from £800 to just £350 – it was so easy and you can do it too
A MARTIN Lewis fan has revealed how they slashed an essential bill from £800 to just £350.
The in the latest MSE newsletter, one reader called Gloria revealed how she shaved her water bill by £450 just by getting a water meter.
It comes as MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) recently published a guide on how to cut water bills.
The article shared tips and tricks on the best ways to reduce your costs.
One of the main tricks is to have a water meter installed.
It comes after millions of water customers could be forced to fork out an extra £156 a year on their bills under new plans.
Gloria emailed the savings experts after reading about the meters and finding she could save a small fortune.
She said: “I took your advice on having a water meter installed in April this year after our bill for 2023/24 came in at a whopping £799.
“I’ve just had my half-yearly bill and, based on that estimate, our annual bill should be around the £350 mark.”
Gloria added that she has done “absolutely nothing different” in regards water consumption.
A water meter is a device that will measure how much water you use and send the data to your supplier who uses it to take more accurate readings and charge you your bill.
If you’ve got a water meter, you’ll only be charged for what you actually use, whereas without one you’ll be charged a flat rate that’s often based on your home’s rate-able value.
For residents in England or Wales, to see if a water meter is right for you, first of all you need to work out if a meter is financially worthwhile.
Since 1990, all new homes have been fitted with water meters and you can get one for free on request.
How to know how much you can save
How much you can save varies depending on your household’s usage, and your water company.
Luckily, there is a handy calculator on the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) website.
It allows you to see how much money you could save based on your usage.
To use the calculator tool, you’ll need to know how much water your household uses and how much you currently pay, which you can find on previous bills.
If you’ve got more or the same number of bedrooms as people in your home, switching to a meter could save you money.
That’s because households without a meter are charged in line with the value of their property.
But if, for example, just two of you live in a four bedroom house, you’re probably being charged more than you actually use.
So not all families will benefit from a meter being installed.
But most water companies will let you trial a meter for up to two years and you can switch back for free if you’re unhappy.
How to install a water meter
You’ll need to get in touch with your supplier if you want one – but they’re free to install.
You could do this by phone or you may be able to apply on their website.
It might take up to three months to have it fitted from the time you asked about it.
And keep in mind if you can’t have a meter installed for whatever reason, there may be cheaper tariffs your supplier can put you onto.
If you don’t know who your water supplier is, don’t worry. You can use the diner tool on the Water UK website.
All you have to do is put in your postcode – your area should have the same supplier.
Meanwhile, a driver has revealed how a Martin Lewis tip helped her slash an essential bill by £270.
Plus, another fan has told how they managed to save £150 on a household bill thanks to a handy tip.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.