In short: Check your tariff first: the default supply is usually expensive, so a yearly comparison and switch almost always pays off. Then match your monthly payment to real usage, track down the biggest power guzzlers – old fridges, tumble dryers, electric water heating – and switch standby devices off consistently.
Cut Electricity Costs – Save Power at Home & Find Energy Guzzlers
Your electricity bill has two levers: the price per kilowatt-hour and the amount you use. You can turn both – switching tariff works instantly, saving power at home builds up piece by piece.
Check your tariff: see whether you are still on your local utility's default supply – usually the most expensive option. Compare once a year and switch if it pays off; the new provider handles the cancellation and power flows without interruption.
Adjust your monthly payment: your instalment should match your real usage. If it is permanently too high, you are giving the provider an interest-free loan; if too low, a back-payment looms. Adjust it after the annual statement.
Find the power guzzlers: the biggest items are often old fridges and freezers, the heating pump, electric water heating and the tumble dryer. A plug-in power meter or a smart meter shows you in black and white who really draws power.
Switch off standby: TVs, consoles, router accessories and chargers draw power even at rest. Switchable power strips cut whole groups of devices with a single flick.
Use appliances mindfully: wash at low temperatures with a full load, use the eco programme, swap old bulbs for LED, and air-dry laundry where you can instead of using the dryer.
Enter the new figures straight into your budget: both the lower monthly payment and the savings from removing constant background consumers.
Track your electricity instalment as a fixed cost in Kontoo – so you can see straight away how much a tariff switch or a replaced old appliance changes your monthly budget.
In depth
Price and quantity: two separate levers
Your electricity bill comes from two factors you can influence independently. One is the price per kilowatt-hour, set by your tariff, which you change with a provider switch in minutes without touching a single socket. The other is the amount you use, which you reduce in daily life, appliance by appliance. The important thing is to treat both separately. If you only cut consumption but stay on the most expensive tariff for years, you leave the biggest and most comfortable lever untouched. Conversely, the best tariff helps little if inefficient old appliances run in the background. The default supply, which you fall into automatically if you never actively chose a contract, is almost always the most expensive option – it is meant as a safety net, not a good long-term tariff. A yearly comparison via a neutral portal, such as the German network agency or the consumer advice centre, shows you whether switching pays off. Note that the exact price per kilowatt-hour varies by tariff and provider, so compare rather than assume.
Getting the monthly payment right
A point many people overlook: the monthly instalment is not your actual electricity bill but a prepayment based on an estimate. Once a year the provider settles up and balances the difference. If the instalment is set permanently too high, you pay more each month than you use and get a refund at year's end – until then your provider has used your money interest-free, when it would sit better in your own account. If the instalment is too low, you enjoy a small monthly rate but get surprised at year's end by a back-payment that throws your budget off. You can avoid both by adjusting the instalment to your real usage after the annual statement – usually a few clicks online. The aim is an instalment that roughly fits, so the annual statement brings neither a large refund nor a large back-payment. That keeps your budget predictable and stops your money working for the supplier for free.
Where the electricity in your home really goes
Not every device is equally guilty. The big consumers are usually those that either run constantly or produce a lot of heat. An old fridge or freezer works around the clock and can cost more over the years than a new, efficient model costs to buy. Electric water heating via a boiler or instant heater, the tumble dryer and an old unregulated heating pump are also typical power guzzlers. On the other side sits quiet, constant consumption: devices on standby, chargers left in sockets and accessories on the mains each draw little, but together they run around the clock. To get clarity, measure rather than guess – a cheap plug-in power meter between socket and device, or a smart meter, shows you exactly which consumer draws how much. As rough orientation, not a fixed rule: a single-person household uses roughly 1,300 to 2,000 kilowatt-hours a year depending on its appliances, and a multi-person household correspondingly more – electric water heating in particular pushes the figure up sharply. Compared with your own annual statement, you quickly see whether you are on the thrifty or the generous side.
Education, not advice. How we work and check figures: Editorial. Figures as of 2026, last reviewed 07/04/2026.
Frequently asked questions
How can I cut my electricity costs?
In two places: price and quantity. Check your tariff and switch out of the expensive default supply into a cheaper contract – that works instantly. In parallel, reduce usage by tracking down power guzzlers, switching off standby, and using efficient appliances and LED bulbs.
How do I find the biggest power guzzlers at home?
Most reliably with a plug-in power meter or smart meter that shows the usage of individual devices. Typical suspects are old fridges and freezers, electric water heating, the tumble dryer and an old heating pump – devices that run constantly or produce a lot of heat.
Is switching electricity provider worth it?
Often yes, especially if you are still on the default supply or have not compared in a long time – it is usually the most expensive option. Switching takes minutes online, the new provider handles the cancellation, and power flows without interruption. A yearly comparison is enough.
Should I adjust my monthly electricity payment?
Yes, if it does not match your real usage. A permanently high instalment is like an interest-free loan to the provider; too low a one leads to a back-payment. Adjust it after the annual statement so your budget stays predictable and no surprise looms.
How much electricity does a household use per year?
It depends heavily on the number of people and the appliances. As rough orientation – not a fixed rule – a single-person household uses about 1,300 to 2,000 kilowatt-hours a year depending on its devices, and larger households more. Electric water heating pushes the figure up noticeably.
Does taking devices out of standby save electricity?
Yes, though little per device. TVs, consoles, router accessories and chargers draw power around the clock even when unused. Over the year it adds up. A switchable power strip cuts whole groups of devices conveniently with a single flick.
All lessons · Glossary · Editorial · Kontoo does the math and explains – this is general education, not tax, legal or financial advice.
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