Does turning on and off your computer waste electricity?

Question

Ever since I got this dial-up connection, I had to turn on and off my computer about 15-20 times a day. And ever since I started doing that, my electric bill has been through the roof. So does turning on and off your computer all the time waste electricity? Thanks to all who answer, 10 points to the best answer.

Answer 1

Computers dont use much power at all... they take 120v AC and generally only output so many watts worth of 5v DC.

Non LCD Monitors use quite a bit.

Printers (heating up Lasers) take the most!

I would lean more to the time of year and the amount your AC is on as the culprit!

Answer 2

no.. when it is shutting down or turning on it's not using a significant amount of power    

Answer 3

when anything starts it uses more power but i don't think it's why you bill is higher

Answer 4

No, wouldnt have anything to do with it.

Answer 5

Why don't you just unplug the modem from the computer when the phone is needed.       That is all I did.       Just downloaded stuff off the net and then disconnected from the net and viewed the stuff that was now in my pc.   The phone was now free to use.

Electric bill is up for other reasons.  Maybe the extra coffees you have been making on the stove(which is a killer for power) or the hot water heater for the hot water tank because you are doing more laundry or taking more showers?        Leaving your computer running while you are not using it is comparable to auto dealers putting gas in the tanks of all the new cars on the lot and letting them idle while they wait for them to be sold.        "Not done because that is a waste of gas and wears out the engine prematurely."

  Of course stores will tell you to leave it plugged in, so will the service people......it will wear out faster and they can either fix them or sell you a new one.