Hangovers are never pleasant but this week many people are getting that hangover feeling.
Post-Christmas utility bills have been dropping through the door or popping into the inbox.
We have known for months the dizzying heights that the wholesale cost of energy reached; that bigger domestic bills were coming. Now they have arrived with a bang.
The Bray seafront is a popular place to promenade along the rocky shore.
On Friday afternoon, all of the well wrapped up walkers I approached had a view on their latest electricity and gas bills.
Three ladies with their sunglasses on stopped to talk.
"They've all definitely gone up," said one. "They have more than doubled," said another.
"€850 for two months. That on gas," said another. "The electricity bill has still to come," she said.
I ask how can people cope paying such high bills especially if they stay high?
"You can't do it ... not in the long term," came the response. "You can't pay the bills, buy food, look after kids, buy clothes. It's going to catch up."
Another walker told me his recent electricity bill was not too bad, because a €200 Government energy credit was applied.
"I was happy with the rebate but if wasn't for that it would have been high," she said. "The rebate made it manageable."
Another lady said her bill for electricity and gas was €1,200.
"It's a changed life," she said. "You have to heat, and then you can't go out, you can't do anything."
The rebate or energy credits were announced with the 2023 Budget - three credits against electricity bills amounting to €600.
Most consumers have already benefited from two credits and the third will be applied to bills from next month.
After that, it's back to full cost bills and a choice between using energy or not if you want to try to make savings.
Of course the Government may decide to make further credits available and consumers will benefit from an €89 repayment of the Public Service Obligation levy that will be credited to bills between now and September.
Wholesale gas prices fall
But in the meantime are there any prospects that retail energy bills could actually start falling?
It is a fact that wholesale energy prices are back close to pre-war levels and we have been told all along that retail prices shadow the rise and fall of wholesale prices.
Lisa Ryan is a professor in energy economics in University College Dublin.
"Wholesale gas prices have certainly fallen and we see wholesale electricity prices are falling too, but I don't think we can automatically assume that will translate straight away into our own bills," she said.
"The wholesale prices have not fallen so much we can say they are well below where they used to be.
"Electricity prices have stabilised as a lower level than we saw earlier. They are at around €150 per megawatt hours, but that is still quite high.
"In the past we used to see €40 per megawatt hour so in fact the price is still quite high and I would say the best we can expect for now is that we will have stable high prices."
Regarding gas bills, Professor Ryan said they were very volatile last year due to the war, and uncertainty remains.
She said: "Wholesale gas prices have fallen now and that is partly because we have been able to use storage that was built up last summer, before the Russian supply was cut off, and also because we have had a milder winter than expected.
"So prices have fallen but the jury is out on where they will go from here.
"Everyone is still a little anxious about when the next winter comes in, whether we will be able to have the same storage built up over the summer, because we don't have the same supplies we used to to build up that reserve.
"Gas prices may drop a little bit but I don't think the gas retailers are going to be reducing our bills dramatically anytime soon."
The post-Christmas utility bills are just one part of the inflation wave that has swept over everyone in the last 12 months.
Food, drink, clothes, rents and services have all shot up. It led to more and more people seeking help to deal with their bills.
Money Advice and Budgeting Service
Credit unions are busy with loan applications and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, that offers free budgeting advice and assistance, has experienced a spike in demand for its services.
Michelle O'Hara, national spokesperson for MABS, said: "In January we have seen a 10% increase in calls to our national helpline compared with 2022.
"A lot of the contacts now are in relation to gas and electricity, fuel, heat and cost of living issues.
"We have people engaging with us for the first time or people who engaged with us before and are now finding the budget plan they put in place just a few months ago is not working because of the increases in prices and the general cost of living.
"This is the time that utility bills are landing on mats and even where people budgeted for an increase, they are surprised they are as high as they actually are."
Ms O'Hara said MABS is open for anyone who wants to try to get on top of their financial situation.
"There is help available," she said.
"We in MABS support people to access help. We say to them not to panic about it and we can help them explore what options are available, such as energy support or hardship funds available through suppliers."
Information on all the services available from MABS is accessible via its website.
