9 Ways Smart Plugs Can Save Energy & Cut Expenses (2023)

What if you could save energy costs…

And finally go on that cruise you dreamed of going to?

Buy down your mortgage rate?

Or have enough to start a side business?

Well, it all starts with smart plugs.

And how…

You’re about to find out:

9 mind-blowing ways to use smart plugs and cut down energy costs.
What vampire power does to your overall electricity usage (and how to cut it down).
How to use a smart plug and track your energy consumption (helps you save more).
And so much more…

Do smart plugs save energy?

Smart plugs save energy and cut down on your electric costs long-term. It tells you how long an appliance has been switched on and how much it costs to run it for a duration of time. Smart plugs help you save about 500 to 1000 Kilowatts every year, which makes up 1 month’s worth of energy.

9 ways smart plugs can save energy & cut expenses

#1: Track energy-hungry appliances

What if I told you that…

You could cut your energy costs by half?
Upgrade certain appliances into energy-efficient models to save even more?

You’d jump the fence immediately, right?

Well, let me tell you a secret.

The key is using “smart plugs.”

Because here’s what you’re going to do:

Use a smart plug to pinpoint the most energy-hungry appliances at home.

Now, don’t be hasty.

Cutting energy costs by half doesn’t happen overnight.

The point of this is shown in the 3-step process below…

Figure out which appliances consume the most energy.
Track the amount of electricity an appliance consumes in a day or month.
Swap the most energy-hungry appliances to shave off electricity costs.

When you plug an appliance into a smart plug, you can easily track its consumption.

That’s because smart plugs come with their own respective apps.

For example, I prefer the Kasa smart plug because it has:

Scheduling options.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.
Remote access to devices up to 1500 W like coffee makers, fans, etc.

From here, you can easily set up each Kasa smart plug using the Kasa Smart app.

The application is available on both Google Play Store and the App Store.

That said, other great smart plugs perfect for tracking energy consumption include:

BN-Link smart plug: BN-Link smart app (iOS & Android).
Amazon smart plug: Amazon Alexa app (iOS & Android).
TP-Link Tapo smart plug: TP-link Tapo app (iOS & Android).

Check out: 4 Reasons Why Your Kasa Smart Plug Won’t Connect + 7 Fixes

#2: Cut down on vampire power

Did you know vampire power makes up about 10% of your total electricity bills?

But what is it exactly?

Vampire power or phantom load is the power an electronic device uses in standby mode.

This might be convenient for your TV, but don’t let marketing gimmicks fool you.

Because it consumes more electricity too.

Unless you unplug your TVs every night, you wouldn’t need to worry about vampire power.

However, a TV isn’t the only appliance that sucks up energy.

You should also take note of these vampiric power-sucking appliances, such as:

With a smart plug, you can cut down on vampire power by…

Shutting each appliance off when it’s not in use.
Schedule them to turn off during idle times or if no one’s at home.

In case you have any outdoor appliances, you can also use an outdoor smart plug.

That way, you’re saving energy around all areas of your home.

#3: Schedule your A/C and heater

A/Cs are a godsend on a boiling summer day.

Likewise, heaters are lifeguards that save you from freezing to death.

That said, both are horrible at conserving energy.

In other words, they bite your electricity as if you’re stacking gold in the fridge.

That’s why smart plugs are so useful in cutting down A/C and heater costs.

How so?

With a smart plug’s scheduling function, you can…

Schedule your A/C to turn on for a specific time.
Set your heater to only turn on 10 to 20 minutes before you hit the shower.

And of course, you can even schedule to turn both off throughout specific times of the day.

After all, why leave your A/C on for the entire night when you won’t feel the cold once you’re asleep, right?

Or, why keep your heater on the whole time if no one’s using it?

#4: Set a timer for gaming consoles and device chargers

Okay, here’s a quick question for you:

Why leave your Xbox or wireless phone charger on Standby mode if…

No one at home needs to charge their device?
Nobody wants to play Witcher, Forza Horizon, or Halo?

If these devices are plugged in and kept in standby mode, well…

You know the answer to this, right?

Without a doubt, it hacks and saws your energy until it’s bare-bone dry.

So, use a smart plug and turn these off when no one’s using them.

Even better, make sure to switch them off once it’s bedtime.

You don’t need it to sit all alone in the dark running on Standby mode.

#5: Monitor cycles for refrigerators & laundry machines

For the record, I won’t be telling you to turn off your refrigerator.

Because that would be lethal to its lifespan.

Instead, use a smart plug to monitor your refrigerator’s cycle.

In fact, you can even add a smart thermostat to save even more.

Meaning, how much it’s using energy throughout the day.

If it’s eating a ton of your electricity, make the switch to a more energy-efficient fridge.

Now, for laundry machines and dishwashers, it’s a different story.

Use a smart plug to monitor both appliances and turn them on during off-peak hours.

Here’s what I mean by that.

Off-peak hours are specific periods throughout the day when electricity demand’s low.

In contrast, peak hours refer to a high electricity demand during certain times of the day.

But how exactly does this help you?

Put simply, you pay less during off-peak hours and more during peak demand times.

Dishwashers and laundry machines consume a ton of energy.

With a smart plug, you could set a schedule to have both turned off during peak electricity hours.

#6: Schedule idle times for PCs and TVs

This one’s fairly simple.

You don’t need your TV or desktop PC running on standby mode all night long.

Since both devices are inactive for 8 to 10 hours in a day or even more, turn them off before bed.

#7: Set a routine/schedule for your kitchen appliances

Think coffee makers, toasters, and electric kettles.

Sometimes, we rush through our mornings, turn on the coffee maker, and then…

Boom.

We forget to turn them off.

Sure, it might just be 1 day that you forget to switch your appliances off.

But what if it happens again next week?

And the day after that?

The point is, these numbers, however small, all add up.

Remember what I said?

You don’t expect to save significant energy costs overnight.

These happen over time and by considering the small appliances you use every day.

So? How does a smart plug help?

In case you forget, and rush out the door, you can always remotely turn it off through the app.

Even better, set a timer for your coffee maker to turn on 10 minutes after waking up.

Then, program it further by shutting it off after a period of time.

Not only do you reduce energy costs, but you also save your tastebuds a burnt latte.

#8: Combine smart bulbs with smart plugs

It’s a given that most homes have several lights turned on during dinnertime and the weekends.

Weekdays? Maybe not so much since half the day everyone’s usually out.

But if not, then this should even benefit you more.

Using smart plugs for your lights usually applies to a floor lamp or desk light.

However, if you switch your ceiling lights for smart bulbs, you save much more.

Why?

Because you’ll be able to program all your lights with a single click of a button in your app.

What if someone forgot to turn off the light in the living room? Bathroom? Guest room?

Again, these might not seem like much.

But when you put them together, they all account for a total percentage you could’ve saved annually.

You might also like: Do Smart Bulbs Use a Lot of Data? #1 Way To Use Less Data

#9: Pair a smart leak detector with a smart plug

Since we’re already on the topic of cutting down expenses, here’s a suggestion:

Why not go the extra mile and hit 2 birds with 1 stone?

Specifically, cut down energy and water costs?

Not enough to convince you?

Put it this way.

Say your A/C drain in your basement tends to clog during the summer.

Without a smart leak detector to tell you what’s going on, you risk:

Mold.
Potential water damage.
Water leaks that result in higher utility costs.

By plugging your smart leak detector with a smart plug, you get the best of both worlds.

Not to mention, the possibilities for these are endless.

Think places like under your toilet, sump pumps, dishwashers, sinks, and so on.