Kill energy vampires

Seventy five percent of the electrical use by home electronics occurs when theyre turned off, according to the Department of Energy. These energy vampires suck electricity all day long costing you an extra $100 each year. So if youd like to keep that Ben Franklin in your wallet, unplug your electronics or plug them into a power strip, then turn off the strip.Dont worry about losing the settings on new computers and TVs. They have a memory chip that resets everything when you power back up. If you have an old VCR or other devices that flash when the power goes out, keep it plugged in. Some power strips have a few outlets that always have power even when you flip off the switch. This type of strip has a main outlet for the computer. When you turn off the computer, the strip also shuts down other devices, such as your scanner, printer or modem.