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They won’t suck your blood, but they sure will drain your energy.

In fact if you want to lower your electric bill, you may have to slay some vampires first: Power vampires, that is. Power vampires are devices or utilities that continue to guzzle electricity even when off or on standby mode. “Televisions, computer screens, printers, charging systems - a lot of things draw energy when they’re turned off,” says Maria Vargas, spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star Program. Five to 15% of wasted power is standby power, adds Vargas.

“Technically, it could be avoided if people just unplugged each of their devices after they used them, but that’s unrealistic, I’m the only person I know who unplugs their toaster oven when I’m not using it.”

For a more practical approach, Vargas suggests purchasing products designated with the Energy Star label. Currently, more than 50 categories of appliances, including air conditioners, televisions, and computers, have the energy star label. This label is posted directly on the products and indicates the device is more energy efficient (sometimes up to 90%) than its non-designated competitors.

Here are some other ways to keep the power vampires at bay:

Schedule an Energy Audit:
Invest in an energy audit to breakdown the hidden costs driving up your home energy bill. A professional inspects and assesses insulation, lighting systems, and possible air leaks and recommends ways to save money and power. “A house may be using more standby power than the owner thinks,” says Raymond Evangelista, owner of 411 Inspection Services, an Energy-Audit company based in New Jersey. “Cordless phones, for example, are huge power vampires, and some people have four or five of these in their homes.” 411 Inspection Service charges $10 per sq. ft., so the final price is based on the size of your home.

Purchase a Power Meter:
A power meter measures the amount of electricity an appliance consumes, helping you decide which items to regularly unplug. A basic power meter like the Kill-A-Watt EZ Plug Power Meter ($49.95), doesn’t just measure the amount of electricity your appliances use, but it estimates cost as well.

Invest in Extension Cords:
Plug multiple electronics into one extension cord to easily turn everything off with the pull of a single plug. This eliminates the hassle of unplugging individual items throughout your home, saving you time, energy and money.

Just Unplug It:
If you don’t use an extension cord, consider unplugging the most accessible electronics in your home. Unplugging cell phone chargers, lap tops and countertop appliances are an easy way to save that’s right at your fingertip