<p>I live with three other roommates in NYC. I've got a rather steep rent and a ton of student loans. In our apartment, we agreed to split utilities four ways. The problem is that two of my roommates are being very disrespectful. They leave their AC on all day while at work. I calculated the monetary usage to be about $0.30/hour per machine. That adds up over a month. They also leave lights on all the time, leave the TV running, etc.</p>
<p>It's very irritating because I am fairly resourceful. I <em>always</em> turn off lights, turn my desktop off when I leave for work, turn on the AC only for short bursts when I need it, etc, and even then the bill is enormous for four people (>250). The bill is consistent with what I estimated based on my own usage, my (more respectful) roommate's usage, and my two other roommates who leave lights on and run the AC all the time. </p>
<p>I have kindly asked them three times to be more careful about their usage. Turn off lights, deactivate the ACs when you to go work, etc. And yet, twice now I've peeked into their rooms after they've left for work to find that they STILL leave the ACs on.</p>
<p>It's a massive money drain and I feel it's unfair to shell out so much extra cash per month for wasteful roommates, especially when I am already so strapped.</p>
<p>Is it fair for me to put my foot down and basically say, if the bill is high again, "I've already kindly asked you guys enough about this -- I'm only contributing $25 this month, and you guys can figure out the rest."?</p>
<p>You agreed to split the costs four ways. Yes, it is unfair to say you will only pay any amount other than your one quarter share. Sometimes you just have to accept certain behaviors for the sake of peaceful coexistence.</p>
<p>The problem is I can’t afford to keep subsidizing their AC. The rate of their usage is beyond unreasonable and the costs are enormous. I could be spending that extra $40-50/month on food or other necessities. It takes nothing to turn the AC off when you leave to go to work.</p>
<p>We agreed to split things four ways, but this was also done under the agreement that we be respectful of each other and not drive up costs. They have families that can help them out if things go sour. My roommates don’t have loans. All my roommates have accounts that their parents are linked into. I am just by myself, with loans. I feel like it’s beyond unreasonable to be insanely wasteful with resources and then expect everyone else to pay for it, especially when we agreed to be respectful.</p>
<p>First off- why are you still running the AC in October? It’s not hot in NYC at all right now. Do your roommates like it at 60 or something? In my apartment we follow a general 78 during the summer, and 60-65 during the winter. That alone saves a TON of money.</p>
<p>But that’s not really the point. Either way, you agreed to split it 4 ways so you can’t tell them you’re not contributing the 1/4. </p>
<p>What I would do personally is 1) remind them again about it, and 2) just turn their ac off if you notice it on
(if they don’t follow #1, I’d suggest letting them know that you’ll the second so that they don’t think you’re creepin in their room).</p>
<p>I’m so glad my two roommates and I are all on the same page about keeping the electric bill down…</p>
<p>I’d ask if they’d mind if I went into their rooms to turn off the A/C and TV.</p>
<p>Johnson: That’s exactly my point. They don’t need to run the AC right now. It’s not hot in the rooms and they’re just leaving it on when they leave to go to work every day. It’s a huge pain in the ass to go in and basically turn it off for them. I am not their mother.</p>
<p>The problem is that I literally cannot afford to keep paying this much for electricity. I’m already hemorrhaging practically everything I make back out in expenses. It’s much harder for me to handle that situation than it is for them to take two seconds to turn their ACs off when they go to work in the morning. The button’s literally right next to their beds.</p>