Phantom load — electricity consumed by devices in standby mode — accounts for 5–10% of residential electricity use in the average household. You are paying for power that does nothing useful.

What draws phantom load: TVs, cable boxes, gaming consoles, phone chargers left plugged in, microwaves with clocks, desktop computers in sleep mode, and any appliance with a remote control or digital display.

The fix is simple and cheap. Smart power strips cut power to a cluster of devices when the primary device (e.g., your TV) is switched off. A single smart strip costs $15–$25 and pays for itself within a few months.