5 Smart Home Upgrades Under $50
Updated on April 30, 2024
Do you want to experience the benefits of a smart home, but worry about your budget? Or have you already seen the cost savings of smart home products, such as doorbells, cameras, speakers or appliances, and are now looking for something different to add to your home? For a relatively small investment, many smart home products can make a huge impact on your utility bills, safety and time.
First make sure you have reliable Wi-Fi. Start with fast fiber internet. If you’re getting smarter, this is the time to upgrade to a fiber connection that comes with a state-of-the-art router. And, once you’re a Frontier Fiber customer, you can enroll in Frontier ForMe Rewards and get great discounts on many popular low cost devices.
It’s easy to bring in smart home tech
Smart home improvement involves upgrading current products in your home with products that automate tasks and often predict what may happen in the future based on the data they collect. The products use sensors to collect data and the internet to send that data to either the console or the homeowner. For example, smart doorbells use sensors to detect movement at the front door and then send a notification to the homeowner, who can access the video in real time from their smartphone.
As you’re beginning your journey into smart home products, a time- and cost-saving tip to keep in mind is to use a single platform. For example, the best efficiency gains from smart homes come when your products work together. While some products across multiple brands can be integrated, it’s simpler to use products from the same one.
The benefits of living in a smart home
Reduce environmental impact – When unused lights are turned off and the temperature is adjusted when people leave the house, you reduce the energy resources your home uses.
Save money – Smart home products help reduce utility bills by reducing usage.
Improved safety – You can keep an eye on your home when you’re away and have video evidence if a situation occurs. You can also receive notifications on your phone if the smoke detector goes off or other issues arise when you’re not home.
Convenience – Homeowners enjoy a wide range of benefits with smart home products, from setting alarms with voice commands to knowing when a smoke detector battery is low—without the annoying beeps!
5 smart home products to improve your home
There are many products under $50 that can make a big impact on your life and in your home. Start here:
1. Mini smart assistants
An assistant such as Alexa Echo Dot offers many of the same features as more expensive voice assistants but in a smaller size—and with a much lower price tag. This speaker is a great entry into smart home products as well as a good fit for smaller spaces. While one of the most popular uses of these devices is getting information, such as the weather and sports scores, a voice assistant can also manage other smart devices, such as a smart thermostat or settings on a smart light.
2. Smart lights
Set schedules for both interior and exterior smart lights, meaning no more lights left on Set schedules for both interior and exterior smart lights, meaning no more lights left on all night by accident. And when you go out of town, you can set the lights to turn off and on to mimic someone being in the house. Popular smart lights include the Ring Smart LED Bulb. If you want some color in your life, you can even string up colorful smart lights, such as Atomi Smart Color String Lights.
3. Streaming hubs
Most people subscribe to multiple video streaming services, and it’s time consuming to log in and out of multiple services to find what you’re in the mood to watch when you sit down to relax. But a streaming hub such as Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast lets you use a single device to manage all your services. And with some hubs, you can even use voice control to find your favorite show. If you’re traveling or going on vacation, you can take the hub with you and plug it into the hotel TV, so everyone you’re traveling with can watch on the bigger screen instead of crowding around a laptop.
4. Plugs and power strips
Smart plugs and power strips are similar to smart lights in that you can turn them on remotely or schedule a specific time for the device plugged into the outlet to turn on and off. Additionally, you can gain the same control over anything you have plugged into the outlet, such as a lamp or a coffee maker. For lights, look at the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug. If you want to use a smart power strip outside, say, for turning on a fountain or outdoor lights, be sure to use a smart plug specifically designed for outdoor use.
5. Security cameras
You might think a good security camera has to cost more than $50, but there are actually a number of basic models in this price range. While the full-featured models are pricier, the basic cameras are perfect for many typical household purposes. It’s important to note, though, that while the cameras themselves are in this range, most require a monthly subscription to view the video—so be sure to calculate that cost into your budget. A highly rated lower-priced model is this TP-Link Kasa Spot with night vision and built-in audio.
Once you start integrating more smart home products into your home network, you’re likely to enjoy all the benefits. And to help with speed and efficiency, upgrade your network to a fast fiber connection.
Stay connected to home with Frontier Fiber
When you power your smart home with the best fiber internet connection, you can rest assured you have reliable access to your smart devices whenever you want to be in touch. Learn about the advantages of Frontier Fiber. Then check here to see when it’s available at your address. And check out Frontier’s SmartMarket for a great selection of quality smart home devices.
Product features and availability may have changed and are subject to change.
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