All plugged in appliances are using electricity even when not in use, this is called “standby, vampire or phantom mode”.  Some examples are appliances, phone chargers, electric toothbrushes, power tools, cable boxes, your T.V., etc…  It is estimated that 5% of all residential electricity is consumed by electronics in standby mode.  Turning off all these appliances when not in use can save in 1 year an entire months electric bill.

There are a couple simple ways that make it easy to turn off all of your appliances without having to do it one by one.

1. Mechanical timers work great if you are out of the house all day and only need your electronics at night.  The mechanical timer plugs straight into any outlet, you then plug your electronics into the timer.  You can pick up mechanical timers on Amazon or any hardware store for $3-$6.  You can also find power strips with a timer built in if you need more plug space.

2. Power strips are also a great way to turn off multiple electronics at once.  Attach the power strip to a easy to reach space, maybe the wall or furniture.  Plug in as many electronics as you can in that area, you can then easily use the on/off switch to turn off all the electronics at once. Put the power strips around your house to reach as many electronics as possible.  You can find many low cost power strips on Amazon or any hardware store for just a few dollars.