If you’re looking to save a few dollars on your electric bill, try unplugging electronic devices like your TV, VCR or Microwave. Any appliance that has a digital clock , LED lights, or a quick start mode is sucking power even when the device is turned off.

A recent NewsFactor article mentions that this “vampire power” sucks up 10% of residential energy consumption and ranges anywhere from $1 billion to $3.5 billion annually.

While one appliance might not make that much of a difference, the average household has between 20 and 75 electrical devices that use standby power.

I found that the easiest way to do it is to plug electrical devices into a power strip and turn that off when the devices aren’t in use. I tried this and cut back my electricity bill by like $30/month - but then I have a lot of tech gadgets.

Source: NewsFactor Aug 2006 (print edition)