In the 'battle of the bills' gas, water, and electricity are hitting us twice as hard.

Prices have exploded in recent months and if you're waiting on your next bill, it can be like waiting on death row.

In Queensland, utilities have raised across the board, on an average bill electricity has increased 13%, water 10% and gas 7%.

In NSW, price hikes are almost the same – with electricity up 13%, water up 10% and gas at an 85 increase on a normal household's bill.

In Victoria, companies have belted households even more than the warmer states, with electricity rising a whopping 28%, water up 20% and gas up by 5%.

And there is little relief in the south, with South Australian homes copping an extra 6% on their electricity bills, 22% on top of water and 5% on gas bills.

While in the far west, where prices were once the cheapest are now increasing at a phenomenal rate; electricity 26.5%, water 6% and gas 31%.

Professor Ron Ripple from Curtain University believes we have had it too good for too long with artificially low prices.

"You either pay for it by paying for higher rates, or if the Government's providing it you pay for it by higher taxes, eventually, one way or the other you have to pay for whatever is being provided."

But not even an economics Professor can explain the problem at Mooloolaba Bowls Club, where the beer is cheaper than the water.

The club is drowning in debt thanks to Queensland's Unity Water.

"Well it's not fair or reasonable.

"We've been paying about $5000 / $6000 half yearly for water and now they're going giving us a bill for over $19,000 for a half year," club secretary Rodger Lund said.

"We won't be serving tea and coffee, we'll just be serving beer, won't we? There will be no water."

Clubs like Mooloolaba are not-for-profit and for many pensioners it is the only place they can afford to get a meal and a drink. But all this is about to change.

"All costs have to be passed on, we're going to have to put green fees up, we're going to have to put membership up possibly, meals in the bistro, the beer services, the wine, everything will have to be looked at.

"We're already trimming staff, we're already trimming all the budgets we can, you get to a wall and you think which way are we going to go."

The club isn't alone. A few of the bills Today Tonight has seen in the past few months could buy a brand new Holden Commodore.

"Australian consumers are now receiving the highest energy bills they've ever received," said Ben Freund from Go Switch, the website bringing the power companies into your home to bid for your business.

When it comes to power, he thinks there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

"The price of electricity is going to continue going up for the foreseeable future, the price increases are locked into the system for the next 10 years at least."

So can the average consumer win? Freund advises to shop around and show no mercy. Unlike your favorite clothes or cars, when it comes to power, it's all exactly the same. No brand names here. The cheapest is the best.

"Consumers have to understand electricity retailers are in effect billing agencies, they buy the electricity wholesale and sell it retail," Freund said.

"Look after yourself, the energy companies put their interests first, so you as a consumer have to put your interests first and always find the cheapest electricity you can amount.

"Pull back, let's be reasonable about these charges, let's assist the community, let's get some Government involvement in the operations of these places, that is all we're asking for."