We all need to be clean and I love a nice long shower as much as the next person. But in these financially uncertain times, finding ways to save money is so important. With that in mind, you might be considering how long you spend in the shower because of the associated costs. How much does a 5 minute shower cost? Let’s take a look!
The Costs
To figure out the answer to how much does a 5 minute shower cost, we first need to know what type of shower you are using. There are electric showers and then those that use the gas boiler. There are other variables including flow rate, the temperature you get showered at, the setting of your boiler and your energy tariff. So there are no hard and fast results, but we’ll try and do some basic maths to give you a ballpark figure.
Based on previous figures I have looked into, an electric shower with a 10.5 kW power rating is going to cost around 16p for 5 minutes. This will change depending on what tariff you are on, or what the price cap is set at if you are on that.
If you have a power shower using gas heated stored water with a high flow rate, you’d be looking at about 18p for a 5 minute shower. Combi boiler users will spend about 15p.
As mentioned, these are all subject to different variables, including the make and model of the boiler and shower that you have. Having this ballpark information can help you figure out how much you are spending on your 5 minute showers per person, per day, per week, per month and annually.
How To Save Money On Showering
There are many ways to save money on showering. Firstly you can figure out if you are on the best energy tariff. There is little to switch to at the moment and many of us are better on the price cap. However, there are a couple of fixed rates coming back which can give you certainty about what you are paying for your bills. You could make sure that you back-to-back shower with another member of the family so the boiler doesn’t have to light up again and the water doesn’t have to reheat. If you have a gym membership or showers at work, you could avoid using your cleaning facilities at home altogether and opt to jump in the shower elsewhere. Thinking outside the box is a great way to save money when asking how much does a 5 minute shower cost.
Time Yourself
I have found that one of the best ways to time yourself is to have a Bluetooth speaker in the shower room. That way you can play one of your favourite songs and be sure to have finished showering by the time it has finished. Maybe your favourite song is 4 minutes long, see if you can undercut that 5 minute shower by switching the water off before that final cymbal smash. There are actual shower timers available, many of them for free from water companies. These are a great way to help you save time and money on your shower. Make it a game for little ones if they usually take an age getting clean.
Final Thoughts
Whilst we all need to be hygienic and a long hot shower can soothe our stress and unwind us after a long day, we’re paying an awful lot of money for our energy bills, so finding ways to cut back is important. Personally, I have some of my best ideas in the shower, yet am conscious about the amount of time I spend in there with the hot water trickling on my head. We all have a part to play, not only to save water but to slash our bills. See if you can start saving money on showering today and cut the price you are paying.
