Home Energy Use and Cost Tracker

Who this is for

Meter readings written down as you take them, with the use between readings worked out. Electricity and gas on the same row, the bill amount alongside, and the year totalled at the foot.

Households that want their own figures rather than an estimated bill, anyone checking whether a change to the house made a difference, and tenants recording readings at the start and end of a tenancy.

What this helps you track

• Every meter reading, dated, in your own handwriting
• The units used between one reading and the next, worked out
• What each bill came to and what the year adds up to
• Which periods used more, so a cold month or a new appliance shows up
• Readings taken on the day you moved in or out, which settle most billing disputes

How to use it

1. Write the property, the supplier and the meter numbers at the top so the readings can be matched to the right meters later.
2. Take both readings on the same day each time and write the date. Whole units are enough unless your supplier asks for the decimals.
3. Leave the used columns alone — the browser and spreadsheet versions subtract the previous reading for you. On paper, subtract from the row above.
4. Write the bill amount in the cost column when the bill arrives, and the period it covers in the note column.
5. Take a photograph of the meter on the day you move in or out and write those readings on their own row.
6. At the end of the year, read the totals at the foot; the first row has no earlier reading, so its use column stays empty.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why is the first row's use column blank?

Because there is nothing to subtract from. Use is the difference between one reading and the one before it, so the first reading only sets the starting point.

What if my meter has more than one rate?

Give each rate its own row, or use the note column to say which rate a reading belongs to. The sheet has two reading columns; a multi-rate meter usually needs one row per rate per date.

Does it work out what my energy costs per unit?

No. Tariffs, standing charges and taxes differ by supplier and by country, and none of them is on this sheet. Write the bill amount you were actually charged in the cost column.

Can I use it with a smart meter?

Yes. A smart meter sends readings to the supplier, but it does not give you a record you can keep and compare. Writing the display figure down once a month does.