Few months ago, I have started to check all the bills that my parents are paying monthly, because I though perhaps there is something that they are paying too much.

I have realised that we are paying a lot for electricity and it has already been for a long time. I never stopped to look into details what were we paying for, but looking at it, I have discovered interesting things.

This is an example of electricity bill in Spain from Iberdrola:

Where we have “Potencia contrata” it means “Contracted Power”.

This is a fixed part of the invoice, which one you are paying even without using electricity at all. Why are we paying this? It is simple to understand, this is maximum power that you can use at home at the same time. Let say you connect microwave, computer, oven, ceramic hob and other devices. Sometimes if you connect to many things at the same time, all electricity turns off, because you have reached the maximum of “Contracted Power” at home and you need to switch on manually the power at home and disconnect some devices.

When I understood it, I wanted to see the maximum that we have, because we have never reached it. Then I have connected microwave, computer, oven, tv, 4 ceramic hobs and smoke abstractor, suddenly everything disconnected.

Taking in consideration everything, before we were paying without using electricity at all 18,33 €/monthly (4,4 KW x 30 days * 0,1148€ * 1,21 (taxes) =18,33 €/monthly)

Then I called them and lowered first time to 3,45 KW, but I have realised that it was still too much for two people living at home and using electricity normally…

At the end, we ended up with 2,3 KW, looking at all numbers we can see:

• Before: 4,4 KW x 30 days * 0,1148€ * 1,21 (taxes) =18,33 €/monthly
• Now: 2,3 KW x 30 days * 0,1148€ * 1,21 (taxes) =9,58 €/monthly

I have spent few hours of work doing some researches, but now we are able to save more than a 100€/yearly. What are you waiting for? It is all about being nonconformist…