January 2022
Updated October 2024
My energy “suppliers” keep trying to persuade me to have a “Smart Meter” installed. They tell me that It would help me reduce my utility bills by being able to monitor the usage of my Gas and Electricity.
Having a “Smart Meter” installed does not give you a discount on the price of Gas and Electricity so the only way you are going to save money is to use less Gas and Electricity!
“Smart Meters” are basically a Con. Originally they provided a one way communication to allow meter readings to be collected by driving down the road with suitable equipment. The modern Smart Meters now have a fully 2 way communication (usually via the mobile phone network). This means that your “Energy Supplier” now has total control of your Smart Meter. This allows them to make changes that may not be known to you e.g. they can make your Smart Meter become a “pre-payment Meter” without your knowledge or agreement. You then have to pre purchase “Energy” instead of having the more usual DD payment method. That is not a good situation!
To be very clear, The only way to reduce your “Energy” bills is to use less! You can lower the thermostat by a degree or 2 and wear warmer clothing . You can turn off lights that aren’t needed but be aware that some lights (and electrical equipment) use more power on start up but use less when “operational”. Be also aware that electrical equipment, light fittings light bulbs etc are under more “strain” in start up conditions. You need to have a think about your usage with regards to lighting and not go round willy nilly switching lights off. If you have a “room / space” that needs lighting occasionally, by all means turn the light off when not needed but if you have a “room / space” that is in regular use and needs lighting often, switching the light on and off is likely to use more electric and will certainly shorten the life of the light “bulb / and / or fitting”.
Swapping your light bulbs to LED is often a good move as these consume a lot less energy than Tungsten and Halogen bulbs.
You don’t need a “Smart Meter”, you just need to be smart about using energy. Learn how to read your meters and record the readings. The use of a Spreadsheet* is a brilliant way of keeping your meter reading records. If you take weekly readings, you will also be able to see how much Electricity and Gas you are using on a weekly base. You could of coarse take daily readings but I think that is a bit OTT 🙂
*Spreadsheets are available for FREE. Google Sheets is good and WPS Spreadsheet is also good.
“Smart Meters” take away the “responsibility” of taking regular meter readings, they don’t “actually” reduce your energy bills. The only way you will reduce your utility bills is to use less and you don’t need a “Smart Meter” to do this. Although some smart meters can (apparently) help you monitor your usage on an individual appliance basis but the only way you are going to save money is to use “your appliances” less and that is a no brainer!
If you don’t take regular meter readings, it is a bit like going shopping and just paying the bill without having a till receipt. I would suggest that you wouldn’t want to do that. Of course, you could be suitably affluent and you just pay whatever you’re asked to pay and don’t question it. If this was the case then having a smart meter is definitely a waste of time but it makes it easier for the energy supplier to get readings.
If you have a “Smart Meter” installed, you will likely not be aware of how often the meter readings are being collected by your “Energy Supplier” If you don’t take your own meter readings on say a weekly basis, you won’t be able to challenge any utility bills because you don’t have any supporting “Meter Readings”.
I take meter reading weekly and record them in a Spreadsheet. The current Spreadsheet covers 5 years of readings but I have “archived” older spreadsheets. This enables me to monitor the weekly usage and compare usage over say the past 3 years. In my case the usage is fairly “typical” and “predictable”, the main thing that has changed is the “cost” we have to pay and this has almost trebled in the past 2 years 🙁 A Smart Meter won’t change this.
Energy suppliers usually allow you to submit your meter readings either via the website and / or via an app on your phone. Submitting regular meter readings reduces the “estimated” bills aspect and makes sure you are in control. When Energy Suppliers use “Estimated Readings”, they usually err on the side that gives you a higher bill!
Conclusion.
You do not need a smart meter, you just need to be smarter and take regular meter readings and record.them. Uploading the readings to your energy supplier on a weekly or monthly basis will allow your provider to get a better view of your usage and will result in their estimates being more accurate. If you want to reduce your utility bills, use less and keep shopping round for the best deals.
Smart meters offer advantages to your Energy Supplier, that won’t be an advantage to you.