When it's 'game over,' you can save electricity by unplugging your game system.

The electronic universe that your kids or grandkids (or perhaps even you) enjoy when they turn on a console gaming device could end up costing you plenty if you are not diligent about shutting your game system down after the last point has been scored.

The energy used annually by leaving the most power-hungry console, the Playstation 3, switched on is nearly enough to power five refrigerators and will cost you almost $250, according to a study performed by the Australian consumer agency Choice. The Xbox 360 didn't fare much better, racking up usage of 25.6 kilowatthours (kWh) per week (about $185 a year, assuming electricity costs 15 cents per kWh). Electricity consumption while using the systems was only slightly greater. In standby mode, where the console is switched off but the device is still drawing power, the Playstation 3 drew a mere 15.5 kWh ($2.33) a year; the Xbox 360 clocked in at 21 kWh ($3.16).

By contrast, the Nintendo Wii is a relative power sipper. It requires just more than 3 kWh a week for continuous, round-the-clock play (nearly $25 a year) and only about a tenth of that in standby mode, the agency found.

Among other popular home electronics Choice tested, the plasma screen television ranked high on the list of power guzzlers. One 42-inch set the group tested, if left on 24/7, would use more than 1,500 kWh annually, racking up a bill of more than $225 at 15 cents per kWh.

Besides costing you money, the electricity wasted by leaving appliances unnecessarily turned on increases your "carbon footprint" by causing more fuel to be burned at generation plants.

Remember to power down once you're done having fun. Even better, pull the plug when you're through playing to avoid using standby power-common in devices with instant-on features. Those tiny sips of electricity can seem insignificant by themselves, but added up, they can create a hefty total.

For more results of Choice's investigations, visit  www.choice.com.au.

    According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 2,400 children receive emergency-room treatment every year for injuries caused by inserting objects into electrical receptacles.

    One way to prevent these tragedies involves installing tamper-resistant outlets that prevent foreign objects from touching electrically live components. A shutter mechanism prevents children from sticking things into receptacles, while a spring-loaded system lets electricity flow only when equal pressure is applied simultaneously to both shutters (such as from an electrical plug).