No Stupid Questions

You could probably just skip the whole anxiety issue by buying a portable battery and using that whenever you're low. If your phone is fully charged at the start of the day and you burn through the whole battery and a mid range portable battery you're using your phone quite excessively and may need to figure something more reliable out.

Phones charging use such little power I'd really be surprised if anyone cared. It really depends on the place. A library I would have no issue plugging in anything without asking. I can't say I've ever been at the doctors and considered charging my phone though I may ask out of courtesy if I did simply because I like my doctor. Overall I'd say it wouldn't be a big deal either way.

If it's a public place and you have legitimate business starting there for a while, I don't see any issue with it. Eg. Doctors waiting room and you have an appointment, restaurant and you're dining there, etc.

If it's someone's private home I'd ask first.

Something small like that, you're fine. They wouldn't really care, or even notice the bill.

The problem comes if you either start unplugging devices to plug in your phone, or you plug in such a ridiculously large load that you start tripping breakers, but that comes more with space heater, or car charging territory.

Phones are perfectly fine, and in some places, like the library, that is what they're meant for, to let people charge their phones or laptops while they work.

I don’t think it matters with a phone/laptop or other small device.

If you plugged in a Tessy that might make some people unhappy.

I don't think it matters

Libraries welcome you to do it! So definitely don’t feel weird there.

Imho, it’s a bit like a water fountain. You wouldn’t ask before filling up your bottle. In both cases you as an individual are costing the business pennys.

The only place you mentioned that I personally wouldn’t do it is a store, but that’s mostly because to charge your phone you kinda have to sit by the outlet and I personally see stores as places of movement where hanging out is discouraged. You are supposed to buy something and leave.

But for doctors offices, you’re probably fine, and libraries you 100% all g.

Not rude at all. I wouldn't even ask for a phone charge.

Just don't plug your giant bitcoin miner in.

Will you drink a can of Coke™ lying around a stranger's house without asking? No? Then, ask for permission as a matter of etiquette unless there are signs specifically saying it is ok to use them.

Dr office, no in the waiting room, yes in the exam room. Library, no. Grocery store, yes. Any more?

From a (US) financial perspective, a phone charger takes about 5 watts of electricity. At $0.010/kWh that's $0.0005/hr (or ¢0.05/hr) of charging. This is utterly negligible.

For reference, a worker at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr would be paid that much after 0.25 seconds of working. It's not even worth paying an employee to tell you to not plug in, which would probably take at least 15 seconds.

Naturally, some businesses may want to discourage people from loitering, but more often than not, they probably want your business (library, grocery store, coffee shop &c) or understand that reality happens.

I wouldn't bother asking if it's a 15 min charge for your phone. If you are there for 3 hours, then maybe consider asking.

My preference would be to ask for permission.

If you don't have to reach or lean over someone, sure. Obviously if you do that would require saying 'excuse me...' or asking them to plug it in for you. An open outlet, anyway, is always fair game. If someone needs to use it after you start... they can say something.

I had a problem like this the other day. I needed to vacuum out my car and there is no good outlet near it where I park at my apartment building. Went to the hand wash to wash my car, then on the outside of the building there was a random outlet on the wall, no idea why it was there. I thought about plugging my vacuum in that I had in my trunk, but I felt too weird about it..

On another note, I've totally used outlets in the hospital waiting area when I've been there for hours. I don't feel weird about that for whatever reason. But we don't pay for Healthcare here so maybe that has something to do with it.

I don't think it's that big of a deal specially if you are just charging your phone.

All the examples you gave sound like it’s not a problem just plugging it in 5 minutes or so. But if it makes you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious, a power bank might be the solution to your problems.

I've literally moved tables in doctors offices to plug my phone in and no one's ever said anything. The library those outlets are yours. Charge away.

depends on what it is and where you're connecting it/who pays the power bill

Carry a power strip and you'll never have to worry. I learned that in the Marines.