CHRISTMAS is expensive enough without blowing extra money on your energy bills.
Costs have gone up for millions despite the government introducing the energy price guarantee.
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This is seeing the average bill for households on duel-fuel tariffs frozen at around £2,500 until next April.
Even so, families will be looking for ways to save wherever they can with costs so much higher compared to the same time last year.
But you might not be aware a number of appliances and devices can churn through energy even when you’re not using them.
The so-called “vampire appliances” drain your electricity when they’re left on standby.
The Energy Saving Trust says between 9% and 16% of all the electricity consumed in every household is used to power appliances while in standby mode.
So you could save a fair bit of money by turning them off.
We reveal the biggest energy-sucking devices and appliances you should be switching off this festive period.
TV
A TV left on standby can churn through energy like you wouldn’t believe.
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The average television uses 40 watts of energy when it’s being used and 10 watts when it’s in standby mode.
So you could save around £24.61 a year by switching it off.
And research from British Gas showed more than 60% of households leave their TV on standby for an average of 20 hours a day.
So if you’re the type to not fully switch it off, think again.
Set top box
A set top box is also known as a cable box, or you might know it as your Sky, Virgin or NOW TV box.
But leaving one of these on standby could be pushing your bills up by around £23 a year, according to British Gas.
Remember though, if you are turning it off, make sure you’ve not got any programmes set to record.
Wi-fi router
Turning your wi-fi router off could save you around £18.89 a year.
Of course, it might not be worth the hassle turning this off just before you go to bed if you want to wake up to wi-fi the following morning.
But if you’ve got enough data on your mobile, you can always use that instead of the wi-fi.
However, an expert has also warned about the risks of turning off your wi-fi repeatedly, so keep this in mind.
Microwave
Leaving your microwave on standby can add around £16.37 to your bills every year.
And you might only use yours for a few minutes every day.
So it really is worth switching yours off to save on costs.
Games console
Your Xbox and PlayStation use 130 and 120 watts respectively when in use.
But on standby, they still use 10 watts so it’s well worth turning them off.
Households can save an average of £12.17 per year by flicking that switch.
Computer
Leaving your computer on can churn through energy.
Loop estimates failing to turn yours off could cost an extra £95 a year.
Phone charger
Leaving your phone charger plugged in with the plug still turned on could be costing you £1.26 a month.
So, switch it off instead, or use a cable that can connect to your laptop or computer to charge your phone.
That way when you turn them off you’re saving money on two devices.
Laptop charger
The same goes for laptop chargers too.
They can add a staggering £115 a year to bills if you leave them switched on.
Hi-fi system
Leaving a hi-fi system on standby can add a whopping £142.50 a year to your bills.
And that’s for a device you might not use all that often.
Printer
Again, unless you need it for your job, you’re unlikely to use a home printer too often.
But leaving it on standby can add £19.50 a year to your bills.
So it’s well worth turning yours off for the sake of a few seconds of effort.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
In other news, households in Northern Ireland are set to receive a £600 cost of living payment in January to help with energy bills.
Plus, an electrician has explained why you should never turn off the heating completely.
