Is your bath used only by the rubber duckies? Photograph: The Image Bank
Have rising energy prices made you think twice about running a bath? How about putting the TV on?
The front page of yesterday's Times claimed the cost of a hot bath has more than doubled over the past four years, from 41p in 2004 to 96p today. Research for today's Guardian suggests otherwise - our tests put the cost at just under 19p - but that is 4p more than it cost earlier this year and almost twice what it cost in 1995. And that's before you pay for the water, if you're on a meter.
Of course, the greenest among us have already dropped a daily soak in favour of a quick blast in a (non-power) shower. We've also stopped leaving the TV on standby and started making sure we only boil enough water to make a cuppa - well, most of the time anyway. But could seeing how much these things really cost be the incentive the less energy-efficient among us need? Or would the prices need to be a lot higher?
Knowing that watching Eastenders is costing you 4.16p an episode (plus your licence fee) might have you reaching for the off switch if you're not that bothered about what's happening to Peggy or Phil. But if you enjoy the programme it probably sounds like good value. And with cinema tickets costing anything upwards of £5, a night in front of the box looks pretty cheap.
So do you think 19p is a lot for a bath, or is it a pleasure worth paying for? Are you looking to cut costs on the basics, or will you forego a pint to pay for the energy to brew up 100 cups of tea? Or are you just surprised at how cheap everything is?
