Phantom Electricity - How You're Still Paying When It's Not In Use!

Phantom electricity, also known as standby power, phantom load or vampire power, is the electricity consumed by an electronic device while it is turned off or in standby mode and this power comes at a price!

Recent studies have estimated that 10%-33% of your energy comes from phantom electricity. With the average American power bill at $120, that amount can add up quickly! 20% of $120 is $24. Over a year, that's $288 spent having electronics plugged in that are not in use! That means you are paying almost 3 months electric bill for items you are not using!

Most households leave EVERYTHING plugged in: toasters, coffee machines, TVs, blurays, game systems, lamps, computers, chargers: the list goes on!

The solution? Unplugging & power strips!

In our kitchen, we have a few appliances we keep out on the counter that are used daily: my espresso machine, my husbands coffee maker and the toaster. They are plugged in before each use and immediately unplugged after each use. It's an extra step that takes merely a second that can help save on your power bill.

For the other items we use daily where there are multiple electronics in one area, we use a power strip. On the back of our TV stand, we put in screws to hang two power strips for all our devices. One reason being is you do not want power strips resting against carpet. They do generate heat so it is safer to have them mounted vs laying on flooring where they can become a potential fire hazard. Another reason is so we can hit the switch on the power strip before and after each use to prevent paying for phantom electricity on each device. The strip mounted at the top of the TV stand (where it's easiest to access) is where we have the items plugged in that can be turned off after each use: TV, game systems, salt lamp, etc. The bottom strip is used for items that we wish to remain on: router, ethernet box, security system, etc.

In my husbands studio room, all of his devices are plugged into a power strip and turned off after each use. Same goes for my office where my computer, printer, lamp, etc are all plugged in to one strip that can be turned off with ease. The strip makes it easier to flip one switch vs unplugging and plugging in multiple items when you want to use them. Another great benefit is the power strips (surge protectors) protect your electronics against power surges during a storm!

It may sound daunting but every small bit adds up and after a few weeks, it becomes a habit and like second nature! Saving money is the game!

Below are a few recommendations of surge protectors/power strips you can purchase to prevent paying for phantom electricity and to protect your devices you worked oh so hard to acquire! You can even purchase them now with USB ports for you cellphone chargers!

Get your Power Strip here: https://amzn.to/3fbHGC8

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