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A security system that allows you to lock and unlock your doors remotely. Smart thermostats that allow automatically keep the perfect temperature based on your preferences. And smart lights that can be controlled by an app. All of this sounds really expensive.
The good news is that you can do all of this and more to create a smart home that automates a lot of your daily routine while still on a budget. And the best part is that many of these smart features will save you money in the long run.
In this article, I will go over several of the ways that you can automate your home to make it smarter and still stick to your budget.
1 – Smart security
The best home security system is one that incorporates cameras, smart locks and an alarm system that can be controlled and monitored remotely. It’s a smart system that allows you far more control than simply an alarm that screeches when your house is broken into.
You are able to see somebody at the front door, or wherever you place the camera, as soon as motion is detected. Is it the delivery person dropping off a package? Or does it look like somebody suspicious? When you want to be safe during Christmas when you have a lot of packages arriving, then this is the ideal system.
You can go for a basic system for just a few hundred dollars for the installation. Of course, how much the system itself costs depends on a number of factors. But, what used to cost thousands now is far less than it used to be.
2 – Smart thermostats
For just a few hundred dollars you can set up some smart thermostats that give you an incredible amount of control over your heating and cooling. And when you have this amount of control, you are not wasting energy and can save a bundle on your energy costs.
For instance, these thermostats can detect when you are in a room and turn on the heat or air conditioner when you enter so it isn’t in use in areas of the house that are empty. And over time, it can figure out what areas you use the most and at what times you use them so it can heat and cool those areas at those times automatically.
You are also able to control them remotely so you can turn on the heat when you leave work. You can come home to a toasty, warm home without needing to heat the house while you are out.
Some are smart enough that they are connected to a local weather report and can turn on or off according to the forecast. This is ideal if you are on vacation and don’t want the heat on while you aren’t home. If the thermostat sees that it is going to dip into freezing temperatures it will come on so the pipes don’t freeze and then turn off when the temperature rises.
3 – Smart light bulbs
One of the cheapest smart upgrades you can do is to change your lightbulbs for smart ones. Even switching to LED is smart since it saves money, but these types of bulbs can be controlled remotely. Some can even turn on automatically when they detect motion.
Since they are LED you can also set the type of light that you want. They can be dimmed or set to things like natural daylight or even different colors. With voice command you can switch to the perfect setting for watching movies or when you need it bright.
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