I recently thought of my grandparents, and this weird thing (at the time I thought it was weird, anyway) that they used to do:

Unplug many of their appliances when they weren't in use.

When grandma was done watching "As The World Turns" and "Guiding Light," she'd reach behind the TV and pop the plug out of the wall. Later on, my grandpa would come into the room, plug the TV back in (a black and white 17" screen), and settle in to watch Walter Cronkite doing the evening news.

Unplugging or plugging in an electrical cord.
For the record, my grandparents' hands weren't this hairy. (Getty Images)
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They did this with their TV, blender, toaster, radio, coffee maker, mixer, and I'm sure, other stuff that I didn't know about.

Why? When I asked that very question, they looked at me like I was an idiot and told me it was to "save electricity, of course."

I laughed at them, as people who are ignorant about something often do, but it turns out that they were on to something.

woman with orange fingernails pulling the plug
Grandma wouldn't have been caught dead with that color of nail polish. (Getty Images)
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A Financial Website That Helps Consumers Find The Best Deals Took A Look At What Common Household Appliances And Gadgets Cost You Per Year

The website, MoneyTransfers.com, took a look at ways consumers can save some utility money by showing you the monthly and annual costs of your everyday electrical appliances and gadgets, especially the ones that still use power even when they're turned off (but not unplugged).

It should come as no surprise that the top electricity-gobbling item in your home is your air-conditioner. Running it 8 hours a day costs you about $88.50 per month.

Next in line is the electric heater. Assuming you run it 2 hours a day, you're looking at $10.80 being tacked on to your electric bill monthly.

That should leave a weird shadow. (Getty Images)
That should leave a weird shadow. (Getty Images)
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Here Are Some Of The Other Items To Consider Unplugging To Save Money Each Month

    • Dryer: $8.64 per month
    • Washing Machine: $6.48 per month
    • Refrigerator: $6.12 per month (seriously, who would do this?)
    • Dishwasher: $4.86 per month
    • Video Game Console: $3.89 per month
    • Electric Stove: $3.36 per month
    • Coffeemaker: $1.66 per month
    • Laptop (5 Hours a Day ): $1.22 per month
    • Microwave: 86 cents per month
    • Toaster Oven: 62 cents per month
    • Hair Dryer: 31 cents per month

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