4 Smart Upgrades That Can Help You Save Money

What once seemed like science fiction has now become totally commonplace. Everyday homeowners across the United States wake up to their smart alarms, drink a cup of coffee prepared by an automated machine, and walk into a room that illuminates once they arrive. We can turn music on and off with a simple voice command and program the settings of our home from our smartphones when we are not even there. 

But do all of these innovations add up to a simple convenience and form of amusement? Or is it actually possible that smart home gadgets can help you save money as well? 

While this is not a factor across the board, there are a selection of smart home upgrades that can cut costs and make your home more environmentally friendly in the process. Let’s take a look at four smart upgrades that can help you save money, in no particular order.

1. Smart Outlets

If AI-powered machines seem like something from the realm of science fiction, then energy vampires probably seem like the stuff of horror and fantasy.  But in fact, you probably have some in your home right now. What do we mean? 

An energy vampire is a device that continues to “suck” power out of your outlets, even with that device is turned off. Things like televisions, fans, gaming consoles, and speakers can consume “vampire power”, or “ghost energy” the entire time they are plugged in. Which means that not only are they consuming precious electricity, but they are also boosting your electricity bill. This can waste hundreds of dollars in electricity each year. 

Enter the smart solution. Smart outlets allow you to customize and control which devices are receiving electricity, when. With automatic detection features, your outlet can actually determine whether or not your plugged-in devices are consuming energy that they shouldn’t be. And that means your outlet can act as a guard against any unwanted currents flowing into devices that are powered off. And that means potentially saving you hundreds of wasted dollars. 

2. Smart Lights

Just like with the smart outlets, smart lighting helps to prevent wasted energy usage, and unnecessary hikes in your monthly electrical bills. It is very common for people to forget to turn off the lights in one room while they hang out in another, or even to leave the lights on in the bedroom or bathroom once they leave the house. If you have ever had one of those face palm moments in the middle of your workday, you know what we’re talking about. 

With smart lighting, you can customize and program your lights to adjust to your daily schedule. Like smart outlets, smart lights can automatically detect when they should not be in use. If no one has been inhabiting a particular room for a certain amount of time, the lights can turn themselves off by themselves. With the cost of electricity constantly on the rise, this can make a huge difference to your monthly and annual expenses. 

They typically run off of the home Wi-fi system, so make sure your internet is up to speed. And they sync with your smartphone and other devices via Bluetooth, so you can turn the lights on or off from the car, your office, vacation, or anywhere else you can think of. 

You can program your lights to dim or brighten depending on the time of day and type of tasks you need to get done, with brighter lighting helping to boost your productivity. Then warmer toned lights can help relax you in the evening. 

3. Smart Water Saving Appliances

Water waste is another major factor not only in keeping your home environmentally friendly, but also in wasting your hard-earned money each month. Smart shower heads control and regulate how much water is used during your daily wash. They come with fun features, like custom lighting and even programmable sound effects, so you can make shower time a party, while also lowering your bills. If you are nearing your desired water usage during a shower, the shower itself will alert you that you are close to the programmed amount. 

Smart toilets are another great option to cut down on monthly water waste and high utility bills. Smart toilets can automate the amount of water that gets used during each flush. Some brands save you double the amount by reusing and recycling shower water to flush the toilet. While it may not seem like a huge shift, the tiny costs you save each time you flush with a smart toilet can add up to hundreds of dollars by the end of the year. 

Smart sprinklers serve a similar function. If it rains and your lawn gets watered, that is a huge waste not only of water itself, but also of the money needed to pay for it. Smart sprinklers automatically detect and respond to weather conditions, so your lawn will never be overwatered or double watered. And they can be adjusted to water the plants differently depending on the time of year and day. So your smart sprinkler system will also keep your lawn in top shape and your plants happy and healthy. 

4. Smart Security Cameras

While they may not cut down on your monthly utility bills, smart security cameras can save you money in the long run- and potentially lower your home insurance rates. With high tech features like thermal imaging, automated movement detection, and 3D cameras, smart security cameras can keep your home as safe as can be. 

Advanced monitoring features allow you to check in on your doorstep from wherever you are. So even on vacation in another country, you will know exactly who has been visiting your front porch. You can watch live feed video streams of your home as well and keep an ongoing record of what’s happening where you live. So not only can you save money by lowering your home insurance premiums, but you can also forgo the house sitter when you go away. Just check in on your smart phone, tablet, laptop, or other device to see what’s happening at home from wherever you are. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you want to actively boost your savings by lowering your monthly utility bills or passively boost your funds by increasing your home security, there is a smart home gadget out there that can help you reach your goal. 

Do some research to find the make and model that best suits your needs and budget- within each category you can spend anywhere from $30 to $3000. So search around to find the smart gadget that works best for your money saving needs. From cutting back on energy and water waste to shoring up your home security, there is almost nothing that smart gadgets can’t do- including save you money. 

Guest Contributor: Victoria Standridge