You may not be aware of it, but you can save 5 to 10 percent on your next electric bill simply by unplugging electrical devices when they are not in use. Many appliances, electronics, and other gadgets still consume power when they are turned off. This is because many items remain in a standby mode when they are not in use. Doing so allows a television, for example, to turn on more quickly than it would if it were left unplugged. However, this comes at a high cost to both your checkbook and the environment, as significant amounts of electricity are wasted for this minor convenience.
So, which items are best to unplug? The answer is: all of them! Unless you know otherwise, assume that all items that are plugged in are consuming electricity at all times, as most items will continue to drain power when they are off. An often-overlooked item to unplug is a cell-phone charger. Even when the phone is not being charged, the charger will continue to consume electricity. If you have one plugged in now, go and touch it. Is it warm? If so, it is still draining power and money from your wallet. Your computer should also be unplugged. While it has energy-efficient settings, such as standby or hibernation, it will consumer power when you are gone if it is not completely turned off and unplugged. However, unplugging a computer, printer, monitor, and everything else may be a hassle for some. Is there anything that can be done to avoid that?
The answer to avoid unplugging every item in your home is to purchase power strips. A power strip is a relatively inexpensive device that allows multiple items to be plugged into it at once. The key is that it has an on/off switch that can be turned off when you are no longer using a set of items. For example, a power strip could be used in your home office to plug in a phone, computer, monitor, printer, and any other equipment simultaneously. Then, when these items are no longer in use, the switch could simply be turned off and power would be cut to all items that are plugged into the power strip. A few dollars invested up front in such a device will save you money for the duration of it’s useful life. So, if you spent $4 on a power strip, which is actually an attainable price, and saved $40 worth of electricity from your home office in one year, that is a tenfold return on your investment. Multiply that by the remaining items in your home over several years with a few more power strips and you will save hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars. Not a bad deal for a trip to the store and few dollars.
Whether you unplug everything or use power strips is up to your preference. Those on a tight budget will likely prefer to manually unplug everything while those looking for convenience will be best served by power strips. What’s in it for you is that you save money, contribute to a cleaner environment, and conserve resources for future generations to use. All of this can be obtained for a simple lifestyle adjustment. Will your next electricity bill be lower and will the air you breathe be cleaner? The answer is up to you!
