Money Saving Idea - Household

Plug in a Smart Strip. Three-quarters of the energy that electronics burn is consumed while the equipment is turned off. Try hooking them up to a Smart Strip surge protector, which automatically kills power to elecronics when you turn them off and rturns it when you switch them back on.

Cost: $31 fo a 10-outlet strip; Amazon.com.

Savings: As much as $240 per year in energy costs

Bonus: Three always-hot outlets on the strip ensure that slow-to-reboot devices can be left on all the time.