October 23, 2026 at 7:35 am

He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

by Heide Lazaro

Five light bulbs lined up hanging inside a dim room

Pexels/Reddit

Roommates should find a fair balance when it comes to shared electricity bills.

In this story, a man is more comfortable staying in his room using 5 dim bulbs to lighten up his space.

But his roommate preferred staying in complete darkness, even during the day.

Since they split the electricity bill 50/50, he’s worried that his lighting habits are making him pay more than his fair share.

Check out the full details below.

AITA for using too much light.

Basically, there are 5 small bulbs in my room.

I don’t leave them on when I’m not in the room, but when I’m in there, I use all 5.

They’re crappy bulbs, and the room stays fairly dim unless all 5 are on.

Now, my roommate asked me not to use all the bulbs and to use only 1.

But the room stays really dim with just that one.

This man prefers to have a bright room, while his roommate prefers the dark.

The thing is, he prefers to stay in the dark, even during the day.

He prefers his room to be completely dark, while I prefer having light in my room.

Well, unless I’m sleeping or not in the room.

So, he basically told me that he doesn’t use the light a lot, but I do, so I’m running up the electricity bill.

He understood that paying 50/50 may not be fair to his roommate.

Now, I do kind of feel bad because since we divide the bill 50/50, he’ll have to pay more, I guess, which is unfair to him.

But I still want to use my light because I don’t like being in the dark when I’m awake.

I can’t get any work done in the dark.

Should I just suggest that I can pay more or what?

We all have different preferences when it comes to the brightness of our rooms.

And I can totally understand OP’s point. I guess offering to pay a little more could be a fair compromise.

Or perhaps, a long-term solution could be to change all 5 bulbs to one bright but energy-efficient light.

Let’s see how others reacted to this story.

This person shares some technical facts.

Screenshot 2026 10 22 at 3.17.36 PM He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

Short and simple.

Screenshot 2026 10 22 at 3.18.06 PM He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

This user gives their personal thoughts.

Screenshot 2026 10 22 at 3.18.31 PM He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

Here’s a similar situation.

Screenshot 2026 10 22 at 3.18.58 PM He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

Finally, here’s a valid point.

Screenshot 2026 10 22 at 3.22.06 PM He Keeps All Five Lights On, and His Roommate Is Furious Over the Electric Bill

Sounds like his roommate needs to shed some light on their electricity bill!

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Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet's most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn't sifting through the web's wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.