candle light and a light bulb that is not illuminated
Mayukh Saha
Mayukh Saha
May 26, 2022 Ā·  2 min read

UK Dad Turns Off Lights and Lives in Dark. Doesn’t Use Hot Water as Bills Soar.

If you have grown up in middle-class suburbia, there are a few things you will find in common. One would be the father of the family turning off the electricity to save money on bills. This father from Leeds, England, Tracey Hope, has devised quite a few methods that help him save money. First, he goes on extremely long walks. Along with the obvious health benefits, it prevents him from staying at home. The less he stays at home- the less he wastes electricity. In fact, the 61-year-old father uses a kettle if he ever needs hot water. A bit overboard you would think- but we all know of a father like this. 

Unemployed Father Does All He Can To Save On Bills

Tracey Hope
Tracey Hope. Image Credits: Samuel Port | Leeds Live

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Leeds Live had reported that this man only survived on sandwiches as food prices rose. In order to conserve money and save bills, he would also buy the cheapest products. At this point, most households will have to pay a sum of $700 on energy bills next year. April 2022 will see the energy cap lifting- so bills could get a tad extra. He recently informed ā€œI try to keep out of the house as much as I can. I go to my partnerā€™s house or I go out for walks and stuff. I tend not to use the lights if I can help it, I walk around the house in the dark.ā€

Despite receiving the Jobseekerā€™s Allowance- he still refuses to splurge. ā€Donā€™t have any heating on as I canā€™t afford it and I donā€™t have a boiler or anything. If I want hot water, I just boil the kettle. During the day, I have sandwiches. I always buy the cheapest food I can get, the supermarket stuff and the cheap brands.ā€ Since 2016, Tracey Hope has not been able to find proper employment. Back then, he had spent half a year packing organic vegetables and fruit. Before that, he had been unemployed since 2009. So, almost a decade since he had a stable income. 

To add insult to the injury, he is also in a dispute with his power company. According to their claims, he owes them 80 pounds in electricity bills. ā€œItā€™s been really stressful, the calls have been costing me as well as Iā€™ve been calling around and you get put on hold. Itā€™s a struggle for everyone.ā€

Keep Reading: Teen Who Spent 12 Years Homeless Graduated Top Of His Class ā€˜Because I Have Everything To Loseā€™

Sources:

  1. Leeds dad resorts to turning lights off and living in dark to keep on top of bills.” Leeds Live. Samuel Port and Sara Odeen-Isbister. May 16, 2022.