Fixed costs and variable factors
In order to cope with everyday life, you use energy and water every day, which results in household costs. In addition to the fixed costs incurred, such as rent, these also include different costs for things such as repairs. Variable expenses in particular ensure that most people lack an overview of how expensive their household actually is. In order to keep an eye on your costs and regular expenses, it is advisable to keep a household book. But how much does it actually cost to leave the TV on in the evening and then get in the shower?
water consumption and costs
In general, the highest consumption in a household occurs in the form of energy and water. According to the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), every German consumed an average of 129 liters of drinking water a day in 2020. With such high consumption, the question arises as to how much the fresh water actually costs. The costs for drinking water vary greatly depending on the region of the country. On average, you have to reckon with two to three euros for 1,000 liters of drinking water. If you consider that an average of 40 liters per day is used just to flush the toilet, you come to a daily consumption of 129 liters of water faster than you might think. However, this calculation only applies to the consumption of cold water. In the case of hot water, there are also the costs for the heating, which can also fluctuate considerably. In general, however, it can be said that heated water is five cents more expensive per ten liters on average.
Water costs at a glance
According to “Thermondo”, the issue of excessive consumption of drinking water and the associated damage to the environment is still relevant. But the associated misjudgments and incorrect attempts to save are hardly decreasing. Many consumers do not know whether a bath in the tub or a short shower causes more water consumption. The calculation is quite simple: With an average filling volume of around 120 liters and a liter price of twelve cents for a liter of warm water, a full bath costs around 1.45 euros. With a shower duration of 10 minutes, however, it becomes significantly more expensive. Assuming consumption of 25 liters per minute, this amounts to 3 euros. So it remains to be considered whether it is worth spending a longer time in the shower or not in the full bath.
The daily use of the toilet can also be quite expensive, because you use around ten liters of cold fresh water for each flush. With five trips to the toilet a day, the water costs amount to around 50 cents per person. There are also other variable household costs, such as using the dishwasher. Here the costs are calculated from the sum of the water consumed of around 20 liters for a wash cycle, the electricity required and variables such as salt and rinse aid. All in all, one can assume that switching on the dishwasher once costs an average of 30 to 40 cents with a modern appliance.
The costs incurred by washing clothes should also be of interest to many consumers. On average, a washing machine with a load of six kilos uses about 50 liters of fresh water. Added to this is the energy consumption, which varies depending on the model.
Electricity consumption and costs
In addition to the daily water consumption, there is also a considerable energy consumption in a household. In general, it can be said in advance that it is always worth comparing electricity providers and, if necessary, switching providers at better conditions in order to be able to reduce household costs in the long term. To get an overview of the electricity costs incurred, here is a list of what it costs to use the computer, television and turn on the light.
Many people turn on the TV in the evening, whether for the news or to watch a movie or their favorite series on Netflix. But how much does it actually cost to use the television? Anyone who still owns a television from the old generation can’t look forward to outstanding picture quality, but they can look forward to lower electricity costs. Because a tube TV consumes an average of just 100 to 150 watts, which means that an hour’s worth of television costs just two cents. With three cents and a consumption of around 180 watts, the more modern LCD television can definitely keep up. Higher costs only apply for the use of the plasma TV. With 300 watts, the consumer has to reckon with six cents for an hour of entertainment.
Using a computer is usually a bit more expensive, but here too the values can vary greatly. In normal operation, such as when editing a Word document, most PCs consume around 100 watts and thus cause costs of a maximum of 3 cents per hour. However, if you use the computer for games or programs that require a lot of calculations, you usually use about twice as much energy.
Turning on the light also consumes energy and falls under the category of household expenses. However, the values have changed significantly compared to the last few years due to an EU regulation. Light bulbs with a high consumption of 100W, 75 and 60 watts can no longer be sold. Instead, you have the choice of buying a halogen lamp with 30 watts or an energy-saving lamp with a consumption of only around 11 watts. A comparison shows that halogen lamps and energy-saving lamps are not only more economical in terms of consumption, but also in terms of the costs incurred, at less than one cent per hour. A conventional light bulb, on the other hand, costs up to two cents per hour used.
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