In times of rising electricity prices and growing ecological responsibility, saving electricity in the household is becoming increasingly important.
In addition to the kitchen, numerous untapped saving potentials lie dormant especially in home electronics and the home office. In this blog article, you will learn how you can significantly reduce your energy costs with simple but effective measures and at the same time make a contribution to climate protection.
Why save electricity?
Saving electricity not only means lower additional costs, but also protects the environment. Every kilowatt-hour (kWh) avoided reduces CO₂ emissions and relieves the power grid. Through targeted optimization of your home electronics and smart technologies, you can reduce your consumption by up to 30 %—without losing comfort.
Identify energy guzzlers
Before you begin saving energy, you should identify your main consumers (“energy guzzlers”). A simple power meter or a smart meter (intelligent meter) helps you detect high-consumption devices and tackle them specifically. Pay particular attention to
- old refrigerators and chest freezers,
- inefficient household appliances older than 10–15 years,
- standby consumption of TVs, receivers, and gaming consoles,
- heating pumps and instantaneous water heaters.
Lighting: Efficient and flexible
One of the quickest and most cost-effective measures is switching to LED lighting. LEDs consume up to 90 % less electricity than conventional incandescent or halogen lamps and have a lifespan of 15 000–40 000 hours. This can save many euros annually. Practical tips:
- Gradually replace all bulbs with brand-name LEDs in warm-white light color.
- Use dimmable lamps and motion detectors in hallways and basements.
- Use switchable power strips to avoid wasting electricity even in the “off” state.
Avoid standby: Switch off instead of snoozing
In standby mode, many devices (especially older ones) continue to draw 0.5 to 10 W—adding up to €50 or more per year. Avoid this idle consumption by:
- using power strips with master-slave function,
- consistently switching off instead of standby,
- checking power adapters for warmth as an indication of power consumption.
Home electronics & home office
In the digital home, electricity consumption from computers, routers, and entertainment electronics is a central factor. Here’s how to reduce your consumption without losing comfort:
- Laptop instead of desktop PC: A notebook consumes only a fraction of the energy of a tower PC plus monitor.
- Energy-saving and sleep modes: Activate hibernation instead of screensaver, and adjust power plans.
- Switch off peripherals: Only activate printers, external hard drives, and speakers when needed.
- Router timer: Automatically turn off Wi-Fi at night or during longer absences.
- Stop background services: Disable unnecessary automatic updates and cloud synchronizations.
- Reduce brightness: Lower the screen brightness when ambient light allows, as the monitor uses a lot of energy.
Smart home & smart meter
Modern smart home solutions offer automatic energy management and comfort at the same time:
- Smart thermostats regulate heating on demand and save heating-pump electricity.
- Intelligent sockets measure the consumption of individual devices and can be controlled via an app.
- Smart meters document real-time consumption in 15-minute intervals and support you in load management.
- Use time-of-use tariffs: shift energy-intensive activities such as washing, charging your e-car, or dishwashing to cheaper night hours.
Replace devices & modernization
Old household appliances often consume twice as much electricity as modern models with EU energy label A+++ to A. Particularly affected are:
- refrigerators and freezers older than 10 years,
- washing machines without an Eco program,
- old-style heating circulation pumps.
Replacing them often pays off within a few years—thanks to improved technology and possible funding programs.
On-site power generation & photovoltaics
In addition to saving, decentralized electricity generation also pays off:
- A photovoltaic system (PV) pays off in 15–20 years depending on location and funding conditions.
- Balkon power plants reduce household consumption by 10–20 %.
- Battery storage and power-to-heat systems buffer self-generated energy for peak loads and water heating.
Measure consumption & change tariffs
Regular tariff comparison is a must:
- Switch to an affordable electricity provider to save several hundred euros annually.
- Use online comparison portals such as Verivox or Finanztip calculators.
- Check special tariffs for green electricity or night electricity for heat pumps.
Additional tips
- Load management: distribute loads to the times with the lowest kilowatt-hour prices.
- Building envelope: good insulation and tight windows reduce heating electricity and increase your living comfort.
- Funding programs: inform yourself about government grants for efficient heating pumps, photovoltaics, and battery storage.
Questions and answers
How can I save as much electricity as possible?
The biggest leverage lies in a combination of device optimization and behavior change. Identify your top energy guzzlers with a power meter or smart meter, replace old appliances with A-labeled ones, avoid standby losses, and use smart home automations. Time-variable electricity tariffs and shifting loads to cheaper night hours maximize your savings.
Do I need new devices to save electricity?
Not necessarily. Many savings can be achieved through conscious user behavior: complete switch-off instead of standby, use Eco programs, and energy-efficient settings. Nevertheless, replacing particularly old refrigerators, washing machines, and heating circulation pumps often pays off already after a few years.
How much money do I save by switching to LED lighting?
You replace a single 60-watt incandescent bulb with an 8-watt LED. With a daily usage of 4 hours, that corresponds to about 75 kWh saved per year (€0.33 per kWh), i.e., about €25 per lamp per year.
Conclusion
Optimizing your home electronics is key to sustainably reducing electricity costs. With simple measures such as avoiding standby, LED lighting, energy-saving modes, and smart home solutions, you can achieve 10–20 % less consumption right from the start. A holistic concept—from consumption measurement to modernization to self-generation—takes your energy efficiency to a new level. Start today and enjoy lower costs as well as a good feeling for the environment and climate protection.