What began as a grandmother’s no-nonsense routine is finding new life in homes full of chargers, set-top boxes and blinking kitchen displays. By grouping power-hungry devices and taking control of standby time, families are trimming costs without living by candlelight. Some readers report double‑digit percentage savings after just a few weeks.
The return of manual energy management
In the 1950s, many households used simple mechanical timers to switch lamps and portable heaters on and off. Power was dear and every kilowatt-hour mattered. That thrift mindset matches today’s pressures. The difference now sits in the tangle of modern gadgets that sip electricity around the clock. Instead of buying pricey smart plugs for every socket, people are building a low-tech, low-cost setup that behaves like a home-made smart system.
From kitchen timers to ‘home-made smart plugs’
The method is disarmingly simple. Put everything that idles in standby on a switched extension block, label each plug, track when you actually use the kit, and cut power during the hours you never touch it. A £12–£18 mechanical timer can automate the off period overnight. For many households, seven off-hours each night equals 49 hours of avoided trickle consumption each week.
Seven night-time hours off equals 49 hours a week with devices no longer idling on standby power.
What you need to try it tonight
- A switched extension block with at least six sockets
- A mechanical plug-in timer with 15 or 30 minute segments
- Sticky labels to name each plug and avoid guesswork
- A small notebook or a calendar app to log real usage times
- A tape measure to check reach and keep cables neat and safe
No timer at hand? Set daily phone reminders to flick the switch at the wall before bed and again in the morning.
A seven-step plan that fits in one evening
- Audit the ‘energy vampires’ first: TV, set‑top box, soundbar, games console, coffee machine, microwave display, PC monitors, printers, chargers.
- Group these devices near one switched extension block within roughly 1.5 metres. Keep it accessible so you actually use the switch.
- Label every plug. You will avoid pulling the wrong one and you’ll waste less time.
- Track your real habits for a week. Note when the TV is on, when you brew coffee, and when the games console sleeps.
- Set the timer to cut power from 23:00 to 06:00. Most people never touch these devices during those hours.
- Seasonal tweaks help. In winter, shift the schedule by an hour if evening use runs later.
- Fix easy home losses that magnify gains: reduce indoor humidity to ease dehumidifier and heating cycles, check window seals, and close gaps around doors.
Label, group, schedule: the three moves that turn a jumble of plugs into a simple nightly routine.
Why it works: the hidden load of standby
Standby power looks small on paper but multiplies across a modern living room. A TV on standby might draw 2W. A set‑top box can sit between 6W and 12W. Add a soundbar, a microwave clock, office gear on sleep, and a handful of old chargers that never leave the wall. The total can sit anywhere from 20W to more than 100W at night. That base load runs every hour of every day unless you intervene.
For many homes, the ‘grandma method’ doesn’t stop at standby. It also reins in bigger intermittent loads. A heated towel rail, gaming PC, or dehumidifier scheduled more tightly can unlock chunkier savings. That is where reports of around 15% bill reductions come from: trimming the constant drips and clipping peaks you do not miss.
What the numbers look like
| Device | Standby or idle load (W) | Monthly kWh saved (7h/night) | Monthly saving at £0.28/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV (standby) | 2 | 0.42 | £0.12 |
| Set‑top box | 8 | 1.68 | £0.47 |
| Soundbar | 4 | 0.84 | £0.24 |
| Microwave display | 3 | 0.63 | £0.18 |
| Games console (sleep) | 1 | 0.21 | £0.06 |
| Office gear (monitor, printer) | 6 | 1.26 | £0.35 |
| Heated towel rail (cut 2h/day) | 300 | 18.00 | £5.04 |
The standby rows alone add modest pounds. Add one bigger load on a timer and the picture changes quickly. Readers who combined both approaches report bill drops near €18 a month (about £15), and some reached around 15% when they also tightened schedules for dehumidifiers or immersion heaters.
Small standby cuts add up, but one scheduled heavy hitter can turn a trickle of savings into a meaningful dent.
Safety first: what not to put on a timer
- Fridges and freezers need constant power.
- Smoke alarms, medical kit, security systems, and routers if you rely on night-time connectivity.
- Electric heaters and heated blankets unless the timer and load are correctly rated and supervised.
- Washing machines or dishwashers on a timer if you cannot be present; some models may need power to finish cycles safely.
Check the total load on any extension block. Keep cables uncoiled and visible, not under rugs. Use timers and strips that meet UK safety standards and match the current draw.
Expert tweaks that lift results
Put the switched block where you can reach it without moving furniture. Use flat extension leads along skirting boards for tidy runs. In damp homes, keep humidity around 40–60% to reduce dehumidifier workload and improve heating comfort. In winter, pull curtains early and seal draughts so the gains from overnight cut‑offs are not lost to cold air leaks.
How this adds up across a month
A quick simulation shows the potential. Imagine a home with 70W of combined standby. Turning that off for 210 night‑time hours a month saves about 14.7kWh, or roughly £4. Add a 300W towel rail trimmed by two hours daily and you save another 18kWh, about £5. If a gaming PC and monitors sit at 40W in sleep, switching them fully off adds 8.4kWh, about £2.35. Tightening an immersion heater schedule by half an hour a day might save 30kWh, or £8.40. Together, that can pass £19 a month and sit near 15% for a household using around 400kWh monthly.
Smart meters make this easy to verify. Watch your in‑home display at night, switch the extension block off, and note the drop. That difference is your baseline standby. Keep a simple log for two weeks. Adjust the timer till the drop matches the hours you truly do not need the devices. If your provider offers time‑of‑use rates, align the off window with pricier periods for an extra lift.
Who sees the biggest gains
Homes with multiple entertainment devices, a home office setup, and one or two small electric heaters tend to benefit most. Renters can use this without altering fittings. Families with teens who stream late can pick a later cut‑off and still capture part of the night. People who travel or work shifts can add a second off period during regular absences.
What to try next
- Group kitchen counter appliances on a switched block to kill clocks and warmth leakage overnight.
- Use labels to create zones: ‘TV stack’, ‘office’, ‘kitchen’. That reduces friction and helps guests too.
- Schedule high‑draw dehumidifiers for the hours when you are awake and can adjust windows if needed.
The beauty of this approach is its price. One good extension block, a mechanical timer, and a pen can reclaim costly standby hours without sacrificing comfort. The habit sticks within days, and the savings keep rolling, bill after bill.
