The world is currently in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, meaning more and more people are looking to incorporate gadgets into their lives that can save them money. We all have financial commitments, whether it’s paying Zakat with ILM or funding day care costs. As everything gets more expensive, it’s vital that we keep some money aside to maintain our lifestyles in a financial capacity.
While money saving gadgets will initially set you back, they’ll eventually save you money in the long run, optimizing how you live your day to day. Listed below are some of the top money saving gadgets.
Wind Turbine
While the installation of a wind turbine is a costly and time-consuming, it will dramatically reduce your energy costs. This is especially true if you live in a windy area, wherein this wind will spin the various rotor blades and drive a generator. From this, the wind’s energy is converted into AC power, which is the same type of electricity that travels through your electrical sockets. The cost and return can vary from area to area, but they can usually pay for themselves within as little as six years. For instance, the typical equipment and installation costs of a wind turbine range between $15,000 and $21,000 and can save up to 60% on the monthly energy bill.
Personal Energy Generator
A personal energy generator holds the energy that’s generated from a person moving, converting it into a modest, free power source for devices. As a person walks or exercises, a weight moves around within the device, generating electricity, which can charge an internal battery. From this, you can charge small devices, such as smartphones; however, you’ll need to walk for 26 minutes to generate just one minute of phone time. As previously mentioned, the amount of energy generated is modest, but the smallest changes can save you significant amounts of money.
Telephone Alternatives
The presence of landlines in homes is losing its prominence, with many homes and businesses making the shift to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This allows you to make phone calls via your computer, saving money on landline bills and long-distance calls. This also includes international calls, wherein a call overseas can cost as little as two cents a minute. The one downfall of web-powered phone systems is that a poor connection will result in poor quality and terminated calls. Despite this, this is a small price to pay when considering the financial advantages.
TV Alternatives
Cable bills have skyrocketed in recent years, with many people finding it less and less affordable to run their TVs. As a result, many people are making the switch to the endless streaming services that are available. Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, Apple TV, Hulu, YouTube, are just some on the endless list. As an example, Netflix will set you back about $10 a month, compared to the average monthly cable bill of $87. Therefore, you could pay for multiple streaming services, pay less than your typical cable bill, and have more variety.
Coffee Maker
Many of us are guilty of picking up a cup of morning coffee on the way to work, costing us an average of $1.38 a day, five days a week. While this doesn’t sound like a lot on its own, this equates to almost $360 a year on coffee. Therefore, you could make significant savings by investing in your very own coffee machine, costing anywhere between $10 and $300. Even if you opt for the most expensive option, you’ll be able to make your money back within the year.
