a day ago
'There are some rituals I won't budge on': TV's Kate Lawler and husband Boj on finding the middle ground with their household costs
When it comes to maintaining the peace at home, TV personality Kate Lawler is all about compromise. But while she and her husband Boj might have similar ideas when it comes to saving energy, there's still plenty of room for that common British pastime – a good old-fashioned squabble!
'As two foodies, most of our debates tend to happen in the kitchen,' says Kate. And it's not just about what to cook for dinner.
TV personality Kate Lawler is all about compromise with husband Boj
'Boj taught me everything I know about how to load a dishwasher, but somehow he still always manages to put it on when it's only half full!' she says.
It's not just Kate and Boj butting heads over household costs. A survey from Smart Energy GB says that more than a third (35%) of us bicker about energy use at least once a week. And for almost two in five (18%) of us, it's the thing we argue about the most in our households.
This could be anything from whether to rinse plates before putting them in the dishwasher (51 per cent say 'always', 28 per cent say 'no chance') to that first day of the year when the heating goes on.
A quarter of us even argue about the volume of the TV, with 19 per cent arguing about whether the bedroom window should be open or closed at night.
Why do we argue? And how can we find common ground?
Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman has a clear idea about the motivations behind our household squabbles.
'Habits, fairness, and control are the things most couples bicker about, especially if they're living together,' she says. 'From heating battles to never-ending laundry cycles, household habits are up for contention – but they're small squabbles that just need a little flexibility to navigate.'
The key to finding this flexibility? Well, about energy use at least…
Informed choices with smart meters
Smart meters measure how much energy you're using, as you're using it, making it easier for you to see exactly how the costs are racking up, and decide where to compromise on your energy habits.
Smart Energy GB's research found that, armed with a better understanding of their energy consumption, Brits are making savvier decisions about energy use. Owners who say their smart meter has helped save them money estimate it has lowered their energy costs by, on average, £176 a year.
And it seems they could help maintain peace at home, too. Almost three-quarters of households said they benefited from having smart meters.
They said the smart meters helped track energy usage and give them more control, with 37 per cent of those questioned saying that it gave them a better understanding of energy usage, putting a few of those common debates to bed.
Two-fifths of households with smart meters are also using them to access energy reward schemes, which reward you for using less energy when demand is high, or offer cheaper energy when it's low.
In fact, 94 per cent of those who take part in a reward scheme say they've benefited financially, whether through credits towards their bill (50 per cent), money savings (47 per cent) or cheaper or free energy (38 per cent).
As Dr Becky Spelman points out, smart meters are not just saving money. They're also saving families from squabbling about energy use and bills.
'A smart meter can help shift the focus from frustration to facts,' she says. 'They make it easier to meet your loved ones in the middle and make decisions on the debates that involve energy use.'
Kate certainly agrees.
'Whilst there are some rituals I won't budge on, having a smart meter has been a real game-changer when it comes to settling our household debates,' she says.
'We've recently found out about the benefits of reward schemes, and our energy provider offers free electricity at certain times.'
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