Have you been wasting money (and energy) in your home lately? It’s time to invest in some gadgets that will save you some cash in the long run. Here are the top 10 money-saving gadgets for your home:
LED lightbulbs use, according to seller Home Depot, 85% less energy than a regular bulb. That means that although the bulbs themselves are more expensive than a normal 40- or 60-watt bulb, you’ll be changing your lights rarely, if ever – well worth the expense. The lifetime of an LED bulb lasts up to 50,000 hours, and you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that you purchased one for each lamp in the house. Prices vary depending on size, shape, wattage, and light color temperature.
A digital thermostat that connects directly to the heating and cooling systems in your house will make a great difference in your energy bills every month. When you know what temperature your house is set to, and how much it costs to run it at various temperatures, you’ll quickly learn how to save a few extra dollars every month. This one goes for $250 but is a smart thermostat – it knows when you’re away and will regulate the temperature accordingly, remembering your regular settings after just one week.
We spend a significant amount of our lives in our bathroom, even if we relegate ourselves to only 15-minute showers every day. Add it up over the course of your lifetime, and that’s a lot of water used and a lot of time spent in the shower! By switching to a water efficient showerhead, you’ll save water and energy costs in heating up that water – definitely a worthwhile investment. Showerhead prices vary according to how fancy you want it, but you can generally get one for around $45 or less.
If your family is one that drinks soft drinks regularly you might want to check out this popular gadget. Costing about $80 for a starter kit, SodaStream allows you to make your own sodas – all it takes is some tap water and flavoring; the machine does the rest.
If you’re like most people, you probably end up throwing out plenty of money when you don’t finish those leftovers or those veggies go bad in the fridge. What you need then is a vacuum sealer that will keep any air from reaching your groceries. Keep your food fresher for longer with FoodSaver, which sells for about $80.
Why are you still buying regular old alkaline batteries? If you buy rechargeable batteries and the charger that goes with them, you’re set for life (well, almost…). No more shelling out $20 for a small pack of batteries to keep your camera going. For just $16, you can find a charger AND batteries that are guaranteed for at least five years. Simply plug in the charger overnight when your batteries are running low, and by the morning you’ll have batteries like new!
Why are you spending money on water? What comes out of your tap is free, so don’t waste your hard-earned cash on bottles of water. Pick up a Brita filter that will keep your tap water fresh, filtered, and cool. If you pick up the large dispenser, one filter boasts the replacement of 300 standard 16.9oz. bottles of water! The dispenser itself varies in cost depending on the size, and filters only have to be replaced about every other month.
What do you have plugged in right now? The computer? The TV? Your microwave, your cell phone, your clock, the lamp? And you probably don’t pull out those plugs when you’re done using them, do you? Did you know that even though you turn something off but keep the plug in, you’re still using electricity? This smart strip allows you to plug in up to 10 items at once and then automatically turns them off when you’re done. It also helps to protect against power surges, and costs about $35.
With this little gadget, sold for about $125, you’ll be saving not only money but gas and time too. This communicator plugs in to your car’s diagnostics and can tell you when something is amiss, if you’re doing something wrong, and just how much fuel you use. If there’s a problem, the communicator will let you know – then you can decide whether it’s worth that expensive trip to the car mechanic.
This popular brand, a steal for only about $20 on sale, will connect to various appliances around the house and monitor the electricity usage by days, weeks, or even months. If you discover certain appliances are gobbling up power, you might want to use that information and find better, more energy-efficient devices to start saving you money.
There are plenty of gadgets out there that can save you money, time and energy throughout the year. Deciding on what’s right for you and your home is the hard part!
