Yahoo Finance Man stuns internet with $8.88 electricity bill
A man who posted his electricity bill of just $8.88 has caused a stir on social media.
On a bargain hunters' social media group Brisbane resident Michael Farmer-Trickett on Friday posted a picture of his latest quarterly power bill, showing the very low amount owed.
"Fully electric house, LED lights, reverse ducted aircon, etc," he wrote.
"5kw solar and a Tesla power wall, which is defiantly [sic] the key for 99% off grid power."
Farmer-Trickett later explained that his home is a large 500-square-metre double-storey house.
The original post immediately triggered varied reactions, with some people very impressed and asking how they could do the same – even other solar users.
"You must be doing something right. 5kw solar. gas cooking. electric hot water. and pay $250 a month origin power bill," said one commenter.
Another said: "All housing commission homes should have solar panels.. Just saying."
The key to having such a low power bill seems to be the battery, as it allows surplus electricity generated from the solar panels to be used later when the skies are dark or cloudy.
But batteries are still expensive, prompting several social media users to question how many low bills are needed before that cost is paid off.
"If I installed a powerwall it would be the same as me paying my power bills for over 20 years. Not worth it until the cost is dramatically reduced. My bill is roughly $500 a year. Not worth $10k per powerwall."
The ultimate goal for early-adopters in Australia who have installed expensive batteries is to achieve a $0 electricity bill. Although for some of those people, finance wasn't the only consideration.
"My motivation is to get my electricity bill as close to $0 as possible, and for the good of the environment," battery owner Brendan Fahey told Business Insider in 2017.
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