My electric bill hit two hundred twenty dollars one August and I decided to figure out where the money was actually going. I bought a twenty-dollar plug-in power meter and started testing everything. The results surprised me.

The biggest energy hogs are not the things you use — they are the things you leave plugged in.

1. Unplug the Cable Box at Night

A cable DVR box draws about 35 watts, 24 hours a day. That is over 300 kWh per year — about forty to fifty dollars. Plug it into a timer so it powers off from midnight to 6 AM.

2. Turn Down the Water Heater

Most water heaters come set to 140 degrees F by default. You only need 120 degrees F. Turning it down saves six to ten percent on water heating costs.

3. Use the Microwave Instead of the Oven

A microwave uses about seventy to eighty percent less energy than an electric oven. Cooking a potato in the oven uses about 2 kWh. In the microwave, it uses about 0.3 kWh.

4. Run Full Loads Only

A dishwasher uses the same water and electricity whether full or half-empty. Wait until you have a full load.

5. Switch Ceiling Fan Direction Seasonally

Summer: counterclockwise (pushing air down). Winter: clockwise at low speed (pulling warm air down from ceiling). Can reduce heating and cooling costs by ten to fifteen percent.

6. Close Unused Room Vents

Close vents and doors in rooms you do not use. Do not heat and cool empty space.

7. Air Dry Clothes When Possible

A dryer is typically the second biggest electricity user after the refrigerator. A drying rack pays for itself in two months.

8. Use Power Strips for Standby Devices

TVs, game consoles, phone chargers all draw power even when off — called phantom load, accounting for five to ten percent of residential use. Plug into power strips and switch off at night.

After implementing all eight, my bill dropped from two hundred twenty to one hundred fifty-five the next August. The changes cost me nothing except the power strip and drying rack.