You need not unplug it if you do not wish to. Just make sure to shut down first before powering down. The idea of shutting all electronics down by removing power from them is a relatively new one. It is based on the idea that new electronics are not truley powered downed until they are, one unplugged or a device like a surge protector is used to disconnect power from them. It is a valid idea for large electronics like a big screen tv, digital cable boxes and other electric devices that draw large amounts of power. For smaller electronics say phones, coffee makers and even DVD players do not draw enough power to even notice even over a significant period say about a year. Even with large electronics you will probably only notice a small difference in your electric bill. Personally the dollar or two I might save is not worth the twisting and bending I would have to do to accomplish this. Much less hurting my back even more than what it is. You need not close the display either. Just be careful with the hinges they are a known weak spot and if you break them it is an expensive repair.