Bills are suddenly insane - how are they calculated?

I think it's on time we get to know what triggers the high bills.

My poor farm family just got bills of §31,731. Their bills were never this high, maybe just §2.000-3000. I played the family a couple generations on the same lot, and they never had income from anything else than growing a few plants. They are poor, but make ends meet. Not anymore! The total worth of this lot is §61.000 meaning they are supposed to pay all they own once more every 2 weeks? Again and again? This must be wrong. I hope it's a glitch based on a weird idea from some programmer?

I have a huge castle in Brindleton Bay. The lot value is §582.887 and the bills are around §25000-§30.000. (Been a while though, perhaps I should prepare for §1.165.000 the next time?)

So why is a small farm charged the same as a castle? Farm does not even have a thermostat, the castle does have the thermostat. The farm counts 3 sims, the castle counts 5-7 sims. EA thinks these two lots are supposed to pay the same?

Is this a result of the University careers? Like, because some sims now can get a degree and earn better money from the start of their career all must pay 10 times more than before? These farmers can't afford university, and neither are they interested as they have no income from anything else than selling their produce and some collected stuff. It feels like this sort of households have been ditched by the game.

Suddenly getting bills 10 times higher than before, for no good reason (they don't own anything special, and bought nothing new in a very long time), makes me want to cheat every household §100.000.000 and ignore money in this game completely. The bill system needs to make semse, ad it should not be radically changed overnight just because of one new feature or new pack. Not all of us start a new save for every new pack. My save is 5 years old, and I will either keep playing it or leave the game for good.

Does anyone know how bills are calculated? I so wish that we could set this ourselves in the game settings!

PS: Forgot to mention, in the farm household inventory there is just one kids bed and one framed diploma. No values.

feedback

41 Replies

PenguinFoop
6 years ago
"Simmerville;d-973875" wrote:
I think it's on time we get to know what triggers the high bills.

(1) My poor farm family just got bills of §31,731. Their bills were never this high, maybe just §2.000-3000. I played the family a couple generations on the same lot, and they never had income from anything else than growing a few plants. They are poor, but make ends meet. Not anymore! The total worth of this lot is §61.000 meaning they are supposed to pay all they own once more every 2 weeks? Again and again? This must be wrong. I hope it's a glitch based on a weird idea from some programmer?

I have a huge castle in Brindleton Bay. The lot value is §582.887 and the bills are around §25000-§30.000. (Been a while though, perhaps I should prepare for §1.165.000 the next time?)

So why is a small farm charged the same as a castle? Farm does not even have a thermostat, the castle does have the thermostat. The farm counts 3 sims, the castle counts 5-7 sims. EA thinks these two lots are supposed to pay the same?

(2) Is this a result of the University careers? Like, because some sims now can get a degree and earn better money from the start of their career all must pay 10 times more than before? These farmers can't afford university, and neither are they interested as they have no income from anything else than selling their produce and some collected stuff. It feels like this sort of households have been ditched by the game.

Suddenly getting bills 10 times higher than before, for no good reason (they don't own anything special, and bought nothing new in a very long time), (3) makes me want to cheat every household §100.000.000 and ignore money in this game completely. (4)The bill system needs to make sense, and it should not be radically changed overnight just because of one new feature or new pack. (5) Not all of us start a new save for every new pack. My save is 5 years old, and I will either keep playing it or leave the game for good.

(6) Does anyone know how bills are calculated? (7) I so wish that we could set this ourselves in the game settings!

PS: Forgot to mention, in the farm household inventory there is just one kids bed and one framed diploma. No values.

That is an insanely high amount for bills! My modern house is valued at 359,881 and the last bills were ~17,000. Yours seems like it must be a glitch.
I sure hope not! I don't have University yet and now I'm questioning whether I ever will!
One thing I am sure of is that the more simoleans your household has, the higher the bills as well. So giving yourself 1m would likely just increase your bill amount. I'm not 100% sure of this but it's been my understanding in previous versions.
I agree completely on this point! Continuity is definitely needed across packs!
I don't start a new save because of a new pack either so I'm with you there.
I've been wondering this also!
I don't think that the bill amount should be set by the player. That doesn't make sense to me.
PenguinFoop
6 years ago
"NorthDakotaGamer;c-17440664" wrote:
@Simmerville

Perhaps check what is in the "family inventory" via build mode. The value of that is included in averaging your bill. Beyond that, your save may be glitched.

@Simmerville posted that the only things in the family inventory is a kid's bed and a framed diploma.
Huiiie_17
6 years ago
My first thought was that it was a thermostat that caused this high amount of bills, but since you said the house doesn't have one, I am pretty sure it must be a glitch. Since the bills seem to work fine for other lots, try saving your house to the library, bulldozing the current one and replace it. Maybe this resets the bills and makes them have a normal amount again when they come back.
Admiral8Q
Seasoned Ace
6 years ago
@Simmerville You could start a rebellion against the extortion tax-bills, but that doesn't usually end well...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HpDlv0rGc
Fengax
6 years ago
To my knowledge, bills are calculated using your lot value, how much lighting you have in your house, how long each light is on, use of electronics (e.g thermostats) and your income.

In your case, check if you have a lot of lighting or if you have a lot of electronics (like for instance multiple thermostats). Other than that, it is definitely weird and could possibly be a glitch.
Admiral8Q
Seasoned Ace
6 years ago
I found this, from a year ago. I'll summarize it.

From the loose inaccurate information offered, the "bills" are not directly related to time in which plumbing and lighting are in use. Its called "bills", but, its more like "taxes".
Admiral8Q
Seasoned Ace
6 years ago
From: zoyathedestroyah

I wish EA would just flat out plainly tell us how bills are supposed to be calculated EXACTLY, so, people can double check the math themselves, since, (like too many things Sims 4) its prone to bugging.

I would say this for about anything. I like the idea of there being some mystery, wonder, and, surprise in the process, but, at this point, its obvious that bug vigilance is a thing, so: Its time they just publish the exact figures on everything somewhere; how long each action is supposed to take in each related condition and skill level, what every outcome of everything is supposed to be, and, just a bunch of stuff like that for double checking purposes.

If you don't want it "spoiled" you wouldn't have to look, but, just a verified reference material for any "...or is it a bug?" type concerns.

As for the bills: i am going to say that S88,000 is way too high, and, something IS indeed bugged.

From the loose inaccurate information offered, the "bills" are not directly related to time in which plumbing and lighting are in use. Its called "bills", but, its more like "taxes".

While they stubbornly will not say what affects the bills exactly and for how much, the gathered consensus and vague info offered point to it having everything to do with the net worth of the household.

Its a percentage of the combined value of: the house and all items on the lot, all items in inventories, and, the household simolean balance.

However: its not a flat percentage, because, then you could easily make comparisons with other players to lock down an approximation......no.

As i read on some Sims site somewhere: "a certain percentage of a certain amount, and, a higher percentage of a certain amount past that......" , so, its like tax brackets, but, that your still paying the lower percentage on the "certain" lower amount makes it tough to pin down. It also does not help that: while the billing is weekly, its charging at a "certain" time each day, and, the net worth fluctuates slightly from day to day.

That and, there is still the vague suspicion that lighting and plumbing usage may still be a small factor.

From colloquial comparison: you would have to have a ridiculous mansion, shit tons of money, and, a crap ton of items. I wish i knew the exact figures, but...

I can tell you: my sims house value is about S600,000, i have a low amount of inventory items/books/toys, ATM: household funds running between about S10,000 and S40,000 through the week, and, the bills are close to S25,000.
logionX
Legend
6 years ago
It is probably your household inventory. That includes things that are not on your lot but are just in the household inventory catalogue in build mode.
Admiral8Q
Seasoned Ace
6 years ago
"logion;c-17440888" wrote:
It is probably your household inventory. That includes things that are not on your lot but are just in the household inventory catalogue in build mode.

It's a glitch.

https://media1.tenor.com/images/5f453103d56669d5edc16f3858997478/tenor.gif?itemid=5519836
akaniki
Rising Ace
6 years ago
Wierd, my sim ( though she lives in a modest home ) is worth $500.000 plus all her property and lot with every ammenity. She has tons of expensive paintings, the most expensive furniture and more than I want to count in her inventory. Her bills are always between 5 to 7 thousand.