It's called "standby" electricity, and yes, you can save by unpluging some things. One of the biggest energy gobblers are the transformers that continuously recharge your cell phone, power your computer peripherals and keep your Game Boy ready for use.

"A recent study by students and scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) shows that the average California home pays between $50 and $70 every year to keep those little red lights burning, the clocks ticking and the electronics humming while the appliances go unused. Eliminating this standby or "leaking" electricity could save households between six and 26 percent on their average monthly electricity bill, the study found".

Instant-on features for TVs are constantly using electricity. I unplug any TVs that aren't in use. I also turn off and unplug the computer at the end of the day.

"Computer printers are one of the big energy wasters, some of them drawing 11.5 watts when idling. Some TVs and video cassette recorders draw almost as much, while set-top cable boxes can draw twice that: the most wasteful Ross found drew 23 watts when the box was off".

There are colleges/universities that encourage students to "unplug" when they are gone on breaks. It saves a tremendous amount of money in dorms when students unplug all those TVs, computers, and other electronic gadgets while they are absent during breaks.

You can check with your local electric company for more information.

-Grainlady

My bread machine has a tiny red light that stays on all of the time.

As I live alone, a loaf of bread lasts for several days.

I have no idea how much power the little beggar is using - but "zero" isn't one of the possible answers.

Several of my radios show the time ... all of the time (except when the power has gone off, when they reset to "12:00" and start flashing) ... and I scarcely need to have the correct time available within eyeshot (sort of like "earshot" - but for a different purpose and from a different part of the head) so frequently.

It is somewhat more helpful now, though, for my watch band broke a few months ago, I carried the band-free watch in my pocket for a time ...

... but lost it.

Too frugal to have bought another ... yet.

Maybe I'll do some hinting between now and Christmas.

You know the old saying, "Christmas is coming".

Meaning that one might get some presents.

But more often meaning that whatever gratification that one had hoped to get ... was probably quite a long way off.

Have a great weeekend, everyone.

ole joyful

thanks for the responses.

now i see that i need to unplug just a tad more going forward :)

maryanne

Wow, i never really thought about these things! I walked through my house just the other night and was quite shocked to see how many little lights were on (but at the time it didn't occur to me how much electricity was being wasted) at my computer desk. The router was lit up, so was the modem, keyboard, printer, optical mouse, monitor standby light and the computer tower itself. All those green and red lights looked like christmas lights! Tonight before bed, i will turn the surge protector off, it will shut everything down at one time and in the morning I will only have to turn the surge protector back on to get everything to come to life again. I think I'll take another trip through the house tonight in the dark and check out the kitchen.

Thanks for the tips!
jiggreen

You might want to consider what that sudden surge of electricity does when you turn these items back on. It is always at turn on when the light bulb burns out. Might cost you more than what you save.

jiggreen,

Make sure the computers are properly turned off before you hit the "Off" switch on the surge protector, though.

My former car's headlights went on automatically when I turned on the ignition, but there are just small running lights on this one, so I'm having a hard time getting used to turning on the heavy lightrs (including tail lights) at sundown. And turning them off, unless I'm parking next to a wall. After about three hours in the library the other day, during which darkness fell, I'd left the headlights on. I fully expected the battery to be almost run down - but it started the car with no trouble.

Was I thankful! But - I have CAA, so could have called them for a boost (if I could have found a phone).

ole joyful

MY HUSBAND AND I TRAVEL A LOT. I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO LIVE EVERYTHING UNPLUGGED EXCEPT FOR THE REFRIGERATOR. MY HUSBAND KEEPS TELLING ME THAT I WILL BROKE DOWN ALL THE AMPLIANCES IF I DOING THAT.
IS THAT TRUE?

I take my phones out of the charging station at night, turn off power strip for tv, computer, wireless hub,..I thought about turning off the water heater, but that is a breaker. If we go away for a weekend I would throw the breaker on that too.