It’s getting hot out there, and you’re probably itching to hit the road. Have an older car? Rather than dropping a fortune on a new one, try these upgrades to revamp your ride.
You may not have enough money to travel by car or plane if you don’t get a handle on your bills. Energy prices are high and are expected to stay there for some time. Here are some clever tips to lower energy bills.
Smart thermostats know the outside weather, how long it takes for a room to reach a specific temperature and whether you’re away or home. Some even pair with your smart home assistant, so you can dictate the exact environment you want.
Switching your regular thermostat to a smart one will make your home feel more hi-tech and help cut energy costs. Check the settings for energy-saving features that will lower your bills even more.
Amazon’s Smart Thermostat is ENERGY STAR certified and easy to install. Alexa will guide you through installation and setup and then help you keep the temperature optimal. Click on the Check compatibility box on the product page to ensure your HVAC system is compatible with the device.
NOTE: You’ll only reap the benefits of a smart thermostat if you use it as directed. That is, set it and forget it. You’re defeating the purpose if you keep raising and lowering the temperature manually.
When you think of summer, do you imagine green lawns? We sure do. You can’t have a healthy lawn without keeping it adequately watered. Doing it manually takes time, what with turning the sprinklers on every morning and off at night. Not to mention running outside to turn them off when it’s raining.
Automatic timers don’t help much since they can’t tell if it’s raining or sunny. And the timers with rain sensors aren’t very accurate.
Think of smart sprinkler controllers as a thermostat. They automatically water your lawn based on weather conditions and know the best time of day to get the most out of each session.
When you set up your smart controller, it connects to the internet to get local weather data. For example, the controller may skip the next cycle if enough rain has fallen. The system also checks forecasts to plan its watering schedule accordingly.
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As technology improves and internet access gets faster, it’s incredibly convenient to have smart home gadgets. Tap or click here to learn how to build a smart home on any budget. Devices like Amazon’s Echo or Google’s Home Hub can schedule your day, tell you about the weather and keep track of loved ones.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Lighting technology has certainly changed over the years — and no, I don’t mean the evolution of incandescent bulbs to curly fluorescent options or even LED. Today, it’s all about smart lighting and it goes way beyond bulbs, switches and plugs.
This summer is the perfect time to invest in home gadgets. Get some smart tech, upgrade your office setup, improve your TV viewing experience and get the most from your essential oils.
Worried about the cost? Don’t be. You can get all the cool gadgets you need to improve your office, kitchen, living room, bathroom and even your garden, all for less than $25.
If you’ve got an Alexa-enabled device and a few smart home devices, chances are you’ve used her to control those gadgets. After all, using your smart speaker to control other smart gadgets is a no-brainer. Why do more work than necessary?
When it comes to smart devices, you have a ton of choices. Not only are smart speakers and assistants affordable and easy to obtain, but so are smart plugs, smart lights, smart thermostats and a ton of other smart devices, too.
Smart plugs may not be the first item you think of when you’re checking out smart gadgets, but maybe they should be. These handy outlet plugs are a lot more useful than you’d think.
Want to set a timer for your Christmas lights? Smart plugs can do that. Or, do you constantly forget to turn off the lamps in your den? Set your smart plugs to do it for you. Tap or click to find out eight practical smart plug uses.
