Slash High Electric Bills: The Key to Savings This Winter

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Unplugging your appliances when you aren’t using them could save you $100 a year.

Trying to keep your utility bills low isn’t easy at the best of times, but it can be much more difficult during the holidays when you’re home more often than normal. Whether you’re hosting holiday parties for the whole family, or everyone is simply home from school and work for the week between Christmas and New Year’s, your December energy bill can skyrocket. According to a recent CNET survey, 80% of adults are already stressed about utility bills, but the culprit behind your sky-high power bill might be surprising.

You might think your TV, coffee maker and game console are completely off, but you’re wrong. While the power switch may be off, if they’re plugged in, they’re still silently sucking power 24/7. It’s called “phantom load,” and these little energy vampires are adding a very real, very stupid cost to your bill every single month. 

But is the effort of unplugging them actually worth it? We’ll break down exactly how much money you can save by doing so. Plus, we’ve got a few other simple tips for your thermostat and laundry that you’re probably getting wrong, too.

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Can unplugging appliances actually save me money? 

It might seem counterintuitive to unplug your appliances. After all, they’re off, so why would they be sucking up energy?

The fact is, household appliances actually still use energy even when they are turned off but still plugged in, according to Energy.gov. Whether the device is switched off or in standby mode, some of the worst offenders are: 

• A device that may still use energy in the form of lights or other displays showing the device is off.
• Desktop computers that were put into sleep mode instead of being powered off.
• Chargers that still draw power even if the device is not connected.
• Media players that continually draw power, especially ones that still might scan for updates in the background.
• Phones with displays that show when not in active use, like cordless phones.
• New smart home appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers that have always-on displays, internet connectivity and electronic controls.

Reduce your standby power to save electricity and money

Many people are shocked to realize how much standby power can add up. Standby power accounts for 5% to 10% of residential energy use, according to the Department of Energy. 

How much you save could depend on how many devices you use — and your habits with them. For instance, an educational experiment from Colorado State University found that a combo radio/CD player/tape player used 4 watts continually, whether it was in use. Unplugging it when not in use would save 100 times as much power during the lifetime of the device.

A study published by the Natural Resources Defense Council (PDF) found that reducing the load from always-on devices would save consumers a total of $8 billion annually and avoid using 64 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. It also has environmental benefits, like preventing 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. The NRDC estimated the cost of always-on devices at up to $165 per household per year on average.

How can I optimize my standby power?

The first step is, of course, to unplug anything that is not actively in use or not used often. Examples of devices that could easily be unplugged include TVs and set-top boxes in guest rooms. It’s also generally easy to unplug media players when not in use, like a radio or CD player. When you take your device off its charger, it can help you get into the habit of unplugging that charger as well. You might also be surprised how many devices we have plugged in that we don’t even use anymore. Examples could include old wireless phones, old media players or lamps that are more decorative than functional.

Unplugging and replugging in everything can get tedious, especially if your outlets are in hard-to-reach places. If the outlet is inaccessible, it will be hard to keep up.

Instead, you can also set up ways to make the process of cutting phantom load more automatic. You can plug devices into surge protectors. That way, one flick of a power switch button can turn off multiple devices. You can also get timers to plug devices into or smart plugs so that you can automate when the power is connected to a device. For instance, you might set the time for the TV’s power so it is only connected during peak use times like evenings or weekends. 

Investing in a smart thermostat that can keep your room comfortable, while optimizing for power consumption is a good investment for long-term savings. Similarly, installing LED light bulbs is an excellent investment that uses far less energy compared to incandescent lightbulbs. While the initial outlay might seem high, the savings add up over the years.

You can also look into getting Energy Star products. Many of these products are rated to have lower standby power use than products that are not rated by Energy Star.

Find additional resources for saving electricity

As power bills get higher and more erratic over time, it’s more vital than ever to find ways to save on electric costs. For instance, in addition to unplugging the devices in the home, you can take a look at our guide about turning off lights when not in use. Another key way to affect your electric/heating bill for the better is to know the ideal temperature you should set for your home. You can also review our guide on quick tips for saving on your gas and electric bill, like turning down your water heater or changing your air filters.

More money-saving tips

• Peak and Off-Peak Energy Explainer: Save Money, Find the Cheapest Time to Use Electricity
• Change Your Water Heater’s Set Temperature and Save Money
• Cut Back Your Shower Time to Save Money on Your Energy and Water Bills
• How to Save Money on Apartment Utilities as Energy Prices Skyrocket
• This Habit Is Making Your Monthly Water Bills Skyrocket
• One Simple Ceiling Fan Hack That Can Save You Money and Energy
• How to Lower Your Air Conditioning Bill While You’re Away on Vacation