Electronics and appliances, such as your cell phone charger, coffee maker and TV, continue to use power long after they have been switched off. That’s because these devices go into standby mode, using enough continuous electricity to switch back on at a moment’s notice. While it’s a modern-day convenience, it’s also wasteful. This 24-hour energy drain adds up on your electric bill.  

The waste is often referred to as vampire energy because it sucks power from your outlets just by being plugged in. While standby power uses significantly less electricity than when the device is running full-force, there’s substantial savings to be had when you rid your home of vampires.

According to ENERGY STAR, unplugging these used electronics would save the average American family $100 per year. Collectively, those in the United States could save $11 billion in energy waste by warding off vampire energy.

So how do you slay these vampires? Try one of these tips:

1. Unplug. The simplest solution is to unplug your appliances when you’re done using them. Once your cell phone is charged or your coffee is brewed, pull the plug on the appliance so there’s no chance of energy waste.

2. Use a power strip. Unplugging and re-plugging all of your electronic devices can get a little tiresome. In this case, a power strip can be a real money-saver. Plug your electronics into a power strip and simply turn the power strip off and on. You’ll shut down power to several devices with the push of a single button. It can’t get much easier than that.

3. Measure energy waste. Not all electronics waste energy. If you’d like to know exactly how much each device is wasting, you can find out by investing in a simple tool. You can pick up an electricity monitor, such as the Kill-A-Watt, for less than $20 at in some stores. Just plug your device into the monitor to see how much electricity it’s using.

4. Check the energy use before you buy. Most electronics come with energy consumption information. You’ll often see this in the form of a bright yellow EnergyGuide label when you’re shopping for a major appliance, such as a refrigerator or even a TV. Although the amount shown on the tag is just an estimate, it should play an important role in your purchasing decision. Think of it like this: the purchase price of the appliance is the down payment. You’ll continue making payments in the form of energy use once it gets to your home. An appliance with a lower operating cost is going to use less energy and keep more money in your pocket over time.