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06 Oct 2025

How vampire energy could be sucking the life out of your bank account

Vampire energy is a term used for electricity that is used when devices are plugged in and not being used or are in standby mode

How vampire energy could be sucking the life out of your bank account

How vampire energy could be sucking the life out of your bank account

Vampire energy could be the reason people across the country are spending more on your electricity bills without even realising it. 

It is the electricity that is used even when your devices are off but plugged in or in standby mode. 

Vampire energy consumers can often go unnoticed but the cost of it does add up. 

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The biggest culprits for vampire energy are phone charges being left plugged in but not being used, TVs and gaming consoles being left in standby mode, and microwaves.

To reduce the amount of electricity you are using (and money you are spending), follow the below tips from PrePayPower.

  1. Be wary of the washing machine: Set the temperature to 30°C and only turn on when there is a full load.
  2. Ditch the tumble dryer: The tumble dryer is one of a household's most expensive and energy-consuming appliances. Try to hang laundry where possible.
  3. Adjust the temperature: Set thermostats to warmer temperatures in the rooms you spend the most time in and turn it down for other rooms.
  4. Hit the lights: Turn off lights and lamps in rooms that you are not spending time in.
  5. Careful with the kettle: Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need, otherwise it is wasted energy heating water that you won't use.
  6. Microwave more: Microwaves heat food faster and cheaper than the average oven.
  7. Shut the fridge door: Leaving the fridge door open for even just 15 seconds can result in it taking 45 minutes to cool back down. 
  8. Shorter showers: Showering for just five minutes or less will save you a lot more electricity than you might realise.

Making small changes to your daily habits can have a massive impact on the amount of energy you use in your home. 

This in turn will help you to save more on your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. 

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