A €20 plug-in power meter revealed a hard truth: 127 watts, 24/7, with devices “off.” Over a year, that's more than €250. Here are the seven usual suspects I found at home and in friends' flats.
On standby, the stack draws 20–30 W. A surge-protected power strip with a switch lets me cut it all at once. Savings: about €50–60 per year.
Rest mode keeps downloads alive but draws 10–15 W. I use full shutdown when I'm not playing. A minute to boot, euros saved long-term.
One isn't much, but ten always-plugged chargers add up to 10–20 W. I group them on a switched strip to cut them all at once.
Monitor, printer, speakers: 15–25 W on standby. A timer cuts power at night and weekends. Pays for itself in a few months.
Clocks and displays sip power constantly. I cut the “small appliances” corner before bed. No downside—just savings.
I leave one router on 24/7, but I power down non-essential hubs at night. For updates, I set a weekly window.
Some models pull 5–10 W without you noticing. I plug them into the TV strip so everything cuts together.
Conclusion: You can't see vampire power, but you'll see the bill. One power meter, a couple of switched strips, and a few timers reclaim €100–200 a year without changing your lifestyle.
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Alexandre Dubois is passionate about practical eco-friendly living. Based in France, he shares tested habits that reduce costs and environmental impact without overcomplicating daily life. Contact: info@greendailyfix.com
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