No matter how much you are earning from your job or business, it makes perfect sense to consider implementing money-saving practices. Not only will you be cutting back on your utility bills, gadgets-buying and other expenses, but you can also enjoy other benefits. Here, we will take a look at how you can save money on gadgets, and enumerate which gadgets can actually help you save money.
How to Save Money on Gadgets
First, how can you save money on gadgets? We live in a technologically-obsessed world, so much so that it’s pretty hard not to get caught up in the latest gadget craze. When the iPad was first released, customers lined up on Apple stores just to get their hands on the fancy tablet computer. Every time a new generation of the gadget is released, the same thing happens.
What’s so expensive about getting a hold of the hottest gadgets in the market is that it will cost you money in the long run. Technology improves swiftly and is updated constantly, so a high-tech gadget that you own right now could become not-so-popular or even obsolete within less than a year.
But what if you’re a natural gadget aficionado? How can you get a hold of the latest devices available in the market without breaking the bank? There are a few things that you can try.
First, go comparison shopping. This rule applies no matter which product it is that you are trying to buy. When you go online, you can make a comparison of the prices of specific gadget brands and models from different stores.
After having an idea about which gadget it is that you would like to own, the next thing that you need to do a research on is the features. Which features set is considered as the most technologically advanced? How about the features that you actually need to use on the gadget on a daily basis? Durability, the applications, the reliability of the brand and usefulness are the other things to take into account when deciding which gadget to buy.
Second, you can also take advantage of online deals. When you sign up on the websites of gadget sellers and other shopping sites, you will usually be given a new member discount.
When you flip through magazines or visit other websites, you will also usually be given free voucher codes, discount codes, or a reduction of the price of a gadget for a certain percentage. Grab these discounts whenever you can so that you can take advantage of lower prices.
Third, you can buy second hand or used gadgets. For the gadget freaks, they typically only use tablet computers, laptops and other devices for a few months. Once a newer, better and more high-tech version of their existing gadget comes out, they would be selling their old stuff to make way for the new ones – which will result to them selling their old yet barely used gadgets for a lower price.
Look for these great deals online, or you can simply ask around to get a hold of previously owned but barely used gadget. Your friends, the people they know and other individuals could be selling their old gadgets at a lower price, so always be on the lookout for such deals.
What About the Gadgets That Help You Save Money?
Now that you already have an idea about how to save money when buying gadgets, let us take a quick look at another scenario. When you’re buying gadgets, are there specific items that can help you save money in the long run? Definitely! If you’re a gadget addict, you can easily purchase products which are cool and can do neat things, while helping you save on everyday expenses at the same time.
The rule of thumb to follow when looking for gadgets that will help you save money is exactly that: the product should help you save money. Or, buying the gadget should pay for itself in the long haul.
If you are looking for light bulbs to replace your existing lighting system, for instance, it makes perfect sense to invest in energy-efficient bulbs. There may be an initial investment at first due to the price difference between ordinary and energy-efficient lights. But once you consider the energy savings that you will enjoy in the long run, you will definitely go for the energy-efficient model.
Aside from gadgets bought to help you save money, there are devices which will help you save time and energy. Take a look at our list of the top gadgets that will help you save money:
A water bottle with its own purifying device
If you are always on the go, buying purified water by the bottle will eventually take its toll in your pocket. Since everyone needs to keep hydrated, buying a water bottle with its own purifying device is a great idea.
To use, simply fill the water bottle from the tap and the internal water filtering of the device will clean the water for you. For every day that you are using a water bottle which has its own filtering device, you can enjoy a great amount of savings.
A set of rechargeable batteries and chargers
If you have a kid who has plenty of battery-operated toys, a set of rechargeable AAA or AA batteries will prove to be very handy. Instead of buying new batteries whenever the existing ones run out of juice, you can simply make an initial investment for the rechargeable model. Be it a toy car or any other gadget that you frequently use, buying a set of rechargeable batteries will give you absolute savings later on.
A smart power strip
If you frequently put your TV on standby mode instead of turning it off completely, you are actually wasting phantom or standby electricity. To make sure that you are not paying any more than you have to on electricity usage, use a smart power strip. In just one click, you can turn off all the devices connected to that power strip and not waste phantom or standby electricity.
A device for monitoring electricity usage
If you have a lot of gadgets, a desktop computer or electrical appliances at home, you can use an electricity usage monitoring device. You can use this to know how much phantom load your electrical devices are pulling out. You can also figure out which electrical appliance consumes the most amount of energy, and maybe help you decide to purchase a more power-saving model later on.
A water-efficient showerhead and an energy-saving water heating system
By simply buying a water-efficient showerhead, you can recover the costs through the savings on your water bill in as short as ten months. A high-efficiency shower head uses water more wisely. Partner this with an energy-saving water heating system, and you’re good to go.
A good coffee machine
Do you usually buy fancy coffee on your way to work? If yes, then you should definitely consider investing in a good coffee machine. When you add up all the costs of buying typically overpriced coffee on a yearly basis, you will be surprised at how big the amount is. When you have a good coffee machine, you will save a lot of money as compared to always grabbing coffee on the go.
A programmable thermostat
Did you know that your home’s cooling and heating system makes up 50% of your total utility costs in the house? Those who have central air conditioning would need programmable thermostats. This kind of thermostat has precise temperature control which can be programmed to automatically lower your home cooling costs.
Solar Christmas lights
In just two Christmas seasons, you can recover the costs of buying solar LED Christmas lights through the energy savings you will incur. Solar Christmas lights charge up during the day, turn on automatically in the evening, and stay lit up for most of the night.
Setting up this type of holiday decoration does not take any effort at all. LED lights in general are cool so those who are into gadgets would have a blast using this device. When you consider the energy savings, you almost would not mind the extra costs for buying solar than regular Christmas lights.
Your very own soda machine
If you always spend money on fastfood chains buying soda, you should definitely think about purchasing your very own soda machine. This is an especially good money saving device to have if you have a big family.
There are perfectly affordable soda machines in the market which can help you make everything from cola to fruit sodas to root beer. Once you already have the start-up kit, you can simply purchase the syrup and COS2 refills from specialty stores.
Aside from these, there are plenty of other gadgets that will help you save money in the long run. The investment on these products will definitely be worth it once you realize the amount of time, energy and money that you will be saving.