Most people don’t realize that a quiet drain on their electricity bill is happening every single day—even when everything looks turned off. All around the house, small appliances and electronics continue drawing power 24/7, silently adding dollars to your monthly expenses. These “energy vampires” sip electricity even when idle, and while each device uses only a little, the combined impact can cost the average household $100 to $200 per year. Simply knowing which items are guilty can help you make quick, effortless changes that save money without altering your lifestyle.
One of the sneakiest culprits is the phone charger. Many don’t realize that a charger plugged into the wall continues to draw energy even when it isn’t charging anything. A single charger can waste around $9 per year, and considering most homes have multiples—phones, tablets, earbuds, smartwatches—the wasted cost adds up fast. Kitchen appliances are another major source of phantom power. A coffee maker left plugged in can quietly add about $22 to your yearly bill. Slow cookers, rice cookers, air fryers, and multi-use pressure cookers can each add $25 or more annually just by being left in standby mode.
Your living room and home office are often the biggest hotspots for wasted power. Gaming consoles are among the most energy-hungry devices when left in rest mode. In households that use them often, consoles left plugged in around the clock can waste over $100 a year. Computers, monitors, speakers, and printers follow the same pattern. Even when they appear “asleep,” they pull a steady current. Altogether, home office electronics can quietly add $80 or more to your annual electricity cost.
When you add these devices together, the average household can waste more than $140 per year—roughly the amount of energy it takes to power a full-size refrigerator for months. The encouraging news? Cutting this waste is incredibly simple. Unplug chargers, kitchen appliances, and electronics when you’re done using them. Better yet, install a few smart power strips, which automatically cut power to unused devices so you don’t have to think about it. With a few small habits, families can save over 1,200 kWh each year, reduce their utility bills, and shrink their environmental footprint.
Sometimes the biggest savings come from the smallest changes—and unplugging just a handful of common household items can make your home smarter, more efficient, and much more cost-friendly.