Top 10 Devices That Are Draining Your Utility Budget

Does your electric bill keep creeping up each month? Do you wonder why, especially when you’re not home? You need to know about these “vampire devices that are draining your utility budget.

The term “vampire,” when associated with appliance and other electronic gadgets, has been coined in connection with devices found in our homes that are draining money directly from our your utility bills.

We all remember our parents telling us to turn off the lights when not in use, these items are slowly draining electricity while lying dormant in the background.

According to the infographic below, “What Uses The Most Energy In Your Home,” when these devices are not performing their primary function, yet still plugged in, even if they are switched “off,” they’re still spinning the wheels on our electric meters.

• CABLE & SATELLITE BOXES. Even if they’re turned off, without that little light glowing, they’re still drawing power.

• COMPUTERS: Laptops, desktops, tablets, even smartphones. Especially if you are charging one of these devices, once they reach 100% and are still plugged in, they’re still sucking electricity.

• PRINTERS: No matter the model, inkjet or multi-use, while idling sitting by waiting to be used, they’re drawing current.

• DVD/VCR (players and recorders): Ditch that outdated VCR box if you still have one connected as it uses twice as much electricity compared to its newer DVD model.

• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning): Even when they aren’t in operation warming and cooling our homes, they are still using power.

• ROUTERS & MODEMS: The same as our other electronic gadgets.

• TELEPHONES: Which also includes answering machines and any other associative devices that are connected to our landlines.

• GAMING CONSOLES: The same is true as with cable and satellite boxes.

• TELEVISIONS: When many of us were children, we only had one of these screens, but now they’re in practically every room in our house draining even more power.

• MICROWAVES: That little green clock does use electricity.

Other Ways to Save Money Around the House:

• The Best Ways to Save Money Around Your House
• 3 Ways You Might be Overspending Each Month
• 5 Smart & Practical Tips for Spending Less and Saving More

The solution to this problem is to install most of these devices onto a power strip and shut them all down when not in use with the simple flip of a switch. For other ways to save energy, check out this infographic:

This post was written by Uma Campbell of Homeselfe.com.

What tips do you have for lowering your electric bill?