Unplugging these 7 common household appliances easily reduced my electricity bill.

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ZDNET Highlights

• Unplugging idle appliances can save on electricity bills.
• TVs, consoles, coffee makers and mini fridges are the main culprits.
• Small daily changes help reduce energy waste and lower electricity costs.

With costs rising across the US, energy prices are skyrocketing, record-breaking heat and recent waves of scorching temperatures have hit many states. Having endured many of them this season, I’m always looking for ways to reduce energy use.

There are many small things you can do to shave dollars off your monthly energy bill, and they go beyond turning off the lights when you leave the room. Did you know you can save 3% on cooling costs For every 1°F decrease in your thermostat setting? As a fan of data, I have explored many quantitative methods of saving energy and how these methods translate into financial savings.

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Unplugging a single appliance when not in use won’t save you a significant amount of money. However, unplugging multiple devices can help you save, especially once you make it a habit. Here are the devices you should unplug when not in use, and how doing so could save you about $200 per year, depending on your local rates.

TVs, gaming consoles and office equipment

It’s easy to forget to unplug TVs that aren’t in daily use, but this happens more often than you think. This is especially true if you have a TV in a guest room or common area that isn’t often crowded. Unplugging your TV when not in use can save you $2 to $6 per year for each TV. As soon as I realized this, I ran to turn off my guest room and office TV.

Similarly, a printer left plugged in can cost between $3 to $8 per year if idle. One can consume between 2W and 6W when not in use, which adds another good saving option.

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A single gaming console like PlayStation or Xbox can consume between 1.5W and 10W of standby power, which can cost up to a dollar per month for a device not in use. It’s a good idea to unplug these devices when you’re out of the house or overnight, just keep in mind that you’ll still want to leave them in rest mode so you don’t miss any updates.

You should also consider unplugging the sound bar and speakers when not in use, especially in areas that don’t see daily use.

Coffee Makers and Kitchen Appliances

Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that my Keurig coffeemaker was driving up my electric bill. I put my Keurig in standby mode instead of sleeping, so it was always ready to make a cup of coffee. It can consume between 60W and 70W as it has to keep the water hot and ready. This could mean up to $60 per year.

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Similarly, running a mini-fridge can cost you up to $130 per year, which doesn’t always pay off if you don’t need to run it all the time. I used to forget to refill my mini-fridge, so it would sit empty for weeks, wasting between 50-100W of energy and costing me money. If you have a mini-fridge that you use only seasonally, such as in your sunroom during the summer months, it’s best to unplug it when not in use. Doing this can save you over $10 per month on energy bills.

Smart home devices that are mostly idle

Most smart home devices are focused on improving energy efficiency, but they can also be vampire devices. Smart devices always consume energy because they are connected either to the Internet or to another device such as a hub. However, smart devices consume very little phantom load, so you don’t need to rush to unplug them all.

Smart bulbs and plugs, although small, always draw a small amount of power, around 1W. Depending on your local rate, this only costs between $0.65-$1.30 per year, but if you have several of these devices, that can add up, especially if you don’t use them often.

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I have a lot of smart bulbs at home and I switch off the ones I know we won’t use in the near future. Similarly, I unplug my smart plugs when there are no devices plugged into them.

A smart plug can often save money on your energy bill. For example, if you have an old Keurig without scheduling capabilities that you want to keep ready when you wake up, you can put a smart plug on it and schedule it to turn on only one hour a day. I also use my smart plug to run a grow light for house plants, a fan, and an old lamp.

old appliances around your house

Many people still have old equipment plugged in that they haven’t used in a long time, but either have forgotten or simply don’t think twice about it. Depending on your local rates, it could cost you up to $20 a year to power a set-top cable box, DVR, or Blu-ray player when not in use.

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Look around your house and see what’s plugged in that isn’t needed, including alarm clocks, cordless phone bases, electric kettles, hair dryers and more. Unplugging these devices and plugging them back in before using them can be beneficial, even if it’s just a few dollars per month.