The cost of living crisis in the UK is getting worse, and people can't even afford to turn on the lights...
According to the British "Metropolis News" local time on November 17, after the electricity bill at home more than doubled, reaching 320 pounds (about 2714 yuan) per month, a father in the United Kingdom decided to implement the "no electricity at home" policy, he asked his wife and children to wear headlamps to save electricity bills, and the heating in the home is only turned on once a week, they can only wear coats and blankets to keep warm when they are cold.
Screenshot of the report
The father, Chavdar Todorov, is 53; his wife, Moda, 49; They also have two sons, ages 20 and 14. The family lives in Barnett, north London, England.
"We used to pay £140 (about 1,187 yuan) a month for electricity, but in June it rose to £320." She is Bulgarian and moved to Britain in 2004, said Moda said.
The more than doubling of the energy bill forced the family to save money in various ways, and Chavada decided to implement a "no electricity at home" policy. He asked his wife and children to wear headlights at night and try not to turn on electric lights at home. They read books, wash dishes, dry clothes, do yoga and other activities at night, all relying on the light above their heads.
Chavada and Moda read with headlamps
Moda washes dishes with a headlamp
Chavada said he hopes to keep electricity consumption to a minimum and save as much money as possible.
"It's like we're back in the 18th century." During adjusting to wearing headlights, Chavada said, "We don't know what the bill will look like at the end of the month, and we're doing everything we can (to save electricity)." I now walk around with my headlights on, and I don't turn on the lights, and we spend less time watching TV and only watching it occasionally. ”
Chavada also said that he plans to spend 8.48 pounds (about 72 yuan) to buy a smart headlamp so that the home does not have to turn on the lights, "They (smart lights) react to the movement of objects, which is very convenient." ”
"My husband came up with the interesting idea of wearing a headlamp, and we turned the lights off and turned them on. But it's scary and I don't feel safe. "There were a lot of thefts in our area, and we lit candles to try to make it a little more romantic." ”
Chavada wears a headlamp to dry towels
In addition to wearing headlights to save electricity, Chavada also requires that the heating in the home be turned on only once a week.
"If I'm home alone, I don't turn on the heating and wear a jacket." In order to keep the energy bill as low as possible, Moda said, they turn on the heating once a week to heat up the house, and at other times they wear a jacket and blanket to keep out the cold. ”
It is worth noting that the Chavada family is not a low-income family in the UK, and both husband and wife have stable jobs. Chavada is a banker and part-time decorator, while Moda is a yoga teacher.
As for the future, Moda expressed pessimism: "We will try to think positively, but it is difficult. ”
Moda wears a headlamp and does yoga
According to the latest data released by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) local time on November 16, the inflation rate in the UK in October once again "exploded", reaching 11.1%, a new high in 41 years. This means that the standard of living of British residents is facing a huge decline.
British media BBC disclosed on the 17th that the British Budget Responsibility Office (OBR) predicts that after considering inflation, British household income will fall back to the level of 2013, with a decline of 7%, reaching the largest decline since records began in 1956. In addition, British businesses will eventually cut around 500,000 jobs.
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