Green for less: Get energy bill savings by avoiding home energy vampires

If your home is typical, there are several vampires lurking around the living areas─energy vampires, that is.

Energy vampires, everyday electronic devices ranging from cell phone chargers to televisions, consume electricity even when they're turned off, and suck away valuable energy dollars in the process. In fact, the Department of Energy says that 40 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when they're switched off.

There are several ways to stop the bleeding and restore household energy bill savings. For starters, unplug potential energy vampires whenever possible, because even something as small as that plugged-in charger drains energy when it's not re-juicing a phone, tool or other appliance.