Hi all,
Just wondering what the average single person household (preferably, happy to hear all - please state how many persons if so) use in terms of water, gas, electricity etc. per bill – preferably on a per unit /day basis to enable easier comparison given we may have different billing periods.
I have been trying to cut down bills given my last water bill was a shock. Circa 2,000 litres a day - albeit I was establishing a new garden. I am keen to cut that down financially but got me thinking about my electricity and gas.
The other reason I ask is as part of my cutting down I was discussing my intentions with my girlfriend and she warned me of not cutting down my expenses too much as supposedly a friends family member who had been audited for the first home owners grant residency requirements and lost it after being accused of not living in there as her bills were 'too low' for the average.
I say accused as apparently her utilities usage was not comparable to the 'average joe' – say circa 70% only , and so a full audit was enacted. She had done nothing wrong – moved in and was there for at least 5 days a week while visiting family on weekends or other times. She had actually moved in. Given they know her personally they knew she was not rorting the system, renting for cash or other of the 'dodgy' things non genuine owners do. I find this fully reasonable for anyone who has moved out to revisit family, their partner etc. and stay the night. It has me bat scared though as synergy claims my average electricity usage of 2.7 units/day is below my suburbs 13, and similar household profiles of 17. Frankly I find alot of households bills higher than what I ever use, or did while growing up at home – and I wonder if people just have alot of wastage?
Given the person above argued but still could not convince them that her low usage was genuine, I find this pretty concerning. I mean how does one prove their frugal use of electricity, or the old 'duck in to the parents' on the way home from work for dinner (which I am sure many have done while finding their feet out of home) is indicative of not living in your own house?
I live by myself and don't use a lot of typical utilities (don't have the chance, read a lot of books, or I use my phone rather than having nbn connected). I can't see how I can 'increase' my bills further as I'm more than satisfied with what I use currently. But this recent story has me worried. Partly because if they don't buy your reasons, tough luck mate.
Supposedly a full audit encompassed phone records (location of calls) – does ones phone bill even show this? Hers supposedly showed her back home on those one or two days a week visiting. My prepaid doesn't? Where you shop (bank statements etc), furniture purchases etc. But again, I've already had all my stuff since i grew up – bed, books, bookshelves etc. The rest are either excess cutlery, kitchenware from family, or 'take it, it's free or dirt cheap' gumtree and facebook posts e.g. my microwave, mini fridge, etc. So I can't even prove I've bought the $2000 furniture set from harvey norman.
It's a 'we rule, no argue' case. The unfortunate person above I heard had to not only pay the grant etc back , but fines are 100% regardless typically. So your looking at $20,000+ on a fine alone, depending when and how much your FHOG was. This is huge - especially if you were doing the right thing from a common sense pov. It's not like your even earning cash renting it out (because you're actually living there!). Surely there are more unethical, and dodgy persons conducting and rorting the system - from centrelink, to the pensions, to the FHOG even.
Has anyone gone through similar audits or works in the area or can comment? I wanted to find the average out as I did not want to live so frugally so as to come on the radar and be fined for more money than I earn in the year. That and I would like to know how my spending/utilities usage averages. Quite the catch 22 situation when one now has to worry about spending too little. The country situation doesn't help - obviously looking for money wherever they can in tough times.
I live alone in a two bedroom apartment.
I pay on average $50 gas and $50 elec per month, with Red Energy.