Reducing household electricity use

In short: Anyone who knows the biggest consumers saves the most: cooling, washing, drying, electric heating and standby cause the bulk of the electricity bill.

In more detail: Depending on size a household uses about 1,500 to 4,000 kilowatt-hours per year. The supplier and the price per kWh determine the cost.

In detail

• Measure instead of guess: A power meter between socket and appliance shows actual consumption.
• Standby: TVs, consoles and chargers draw power even in standby. Switchable power strips help.
• Lighting: LED lamps use roughly 80 to 90 percent less than incandescent bulbs.
• Laundry: 30 to 40 °C often suffices, use a full drum, air-dry laundry.
• Old appliances: Very old fridges and chest freezers are power guzzlers; replacing them often pays off (kuehlschrank-richtig-einstellen, stromanbieter-wechseln).