13 Products That Save You Money That You Need Right Now
Most of us look for ways to save money or put more money back into our own pockets. Fortunately, there are a variety of different products, gadgets, and tools that can help you do this. Most of these tools or gadgets are things that are very much a part of your everyday life.
Once you make the initial investment, these products pay you back or help you save money again and again. In fact, many of these products will show you how to start saving money and how to save money fast.
1. Invest In a Programmable Thermostat
Many of us still have the old-school thermostat to control our HVAC system. These old thermostats are manual devices that require you to readjust them to change the temperature in your home. This can be quite tiring. If the temperature is too hot or cold, you have to get up to readjust the settings. Programmable thermostats eliminate the need to constantly change the settings manually.
These thermostats are quite convenient and can be set to different temperatures at different times of the day. Some can even be set to sense your presence or your absences and make adjustments accordingly. Old school thermostats often cost you more money by running at a set temperature 24/7 regardless of whether you are there or not.
2. LED Light Bulbs
LED light bulbs can help you save a ton of money on your electric bills. These lights bulbs generally cost a little more than your typical incandescent light bulbs but have a longer life and consume a lot less energy.
Many people have noticed a reduction in their light bill by as much as fifty percent or even more.
The best part is that you don't compromise anything by using these light bulbs. They are equally as bright and in some cases even brighter than regular bulbs.
3. Rechargeable Batteries
Batteries can be quite expensive if we're forced to buy them for our children to use in gaming controllers, toys, and other high use items. You may begin to feel as if you're slowly going broke. This is one of the reasons why investing in rechargeable batteries is quite smart. Rechargeable batteries cost more than batteries that aren't rechargeable.
However, they save you a lot more money because once you make the initial investment, you don't have to purchase anymore again until these batteries have been completely utilized. This often takes weeks or months depending on how frequently they are used. This beats having to buy batteries once every week or two weeks because your kid's gaming controller eats batteries because he or she is an avid gamer who games frequently.
4. Roku Streaming Stick
Many of us consider cable a household staple but can't afford the expense. The Roku streaming stick can be quite helpful in situations where you want access to cable of movie channels without the high cost.
Roku allows you to have access to tons of movie channels and even live cable at a reduced price compared to conventional cable.
This is one way of having cable and not having to pay the high prices that are usually associated with it. This stick also allows you to attach other forms of media so that you can access youtube and other shows without having to watch on your pc or smart device.
5. Brita Water Filter
Buying bottled water isn't expensive per se, but those few dollars add up pretty quickly over time. A water filter saves you tons over time because you're not having to purchase packages of bottled water every week or every few weeks. Plus, you don't have to deal with having to recycle all those used water bottles.
Save on Water
The water filter will cost you more than a pack of bottled water but will pay for itself over and over again each time you don't have to spend on bottled water. A Brita water filter gives you purified filtered water through your faucet, saving you time and effort.
6. A Heavy Duty Screen Protector For Your Phone
Most of us have seen people walking around with cracked cell phone screens on phones that are otherwise still functional. However, most of us understand that a compromised screen often leads to other problems with their phone down the line. Most of us have heard the old phrase "An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure." This is undeniably true and most of us must admit this.
Keep Other Phone Components Safe
If you can avoid damage to your cell phone's screen in the first place, you can avoid costly repair and the gradual degradation of the quality of your phone. After all, the screen acts as a protector for the internal components of your phone. When it cracks, those components are compromised. Investing in a heavy-duty screen protector not only creates peace of mind, but it also keeps your phones inner and outer components safe and in good functioning condition.
You don't have to worry about dropping your phone and dealing with the unsightly crack and gradual compromises the functioning of your phone over time. Although it's an extra investment, it's one that can save you a lot of money by preventing you from having to pay for costly repairs when it comes to your phone screen.
7. Solar Panels
It doesn't take rocket science to understand how much you can save long term by investing in solar panels. Solar panels are an inexpensive investment that pays you back big over time. Imagine powering your home through sunny days. This is what solar panels allow you to do. Although you may still have to pay a heavily discounted electric bill because many solar panels aren't designed to work when the sun is down, you still stand to save quite a bit of money with this investment.
Helping Yourself and Environment, Too
Some people can generate enough power through the use of solar panels to avoid using conventional electricity at all. The savings over a twenty or thirty-year period are said to be as much as twenty thousand dollars. Plus, you're reducing your carbon footprint in the world by reducing greenhouse gases, oil, coal, and gas.
8. Energy Star
Energy Star is a popular and efficient title that is designated for appliances and other machines that reduce cost by running more efficiently and more environmentally friendly.
These appliances and machines perform optimally despite their reduction in cost and efficiency and their reduced impact on the environment. These products help reduce your utility bill because their energy consumption can be significantly lower than of those appliances that don't have this Energy Star logo and rating.
9. Dryer Balls
Yes, it's true. Something as small as investing in dryer balls can save you money. Dryer balls can be purchased once and used over and over. These wool balls reduce the drying time required for your clothing by helping them to dry quicker. These balls are also chemical-free which is healthier for you and the environment.
Many Advantages
These balls can help you reduce your electric bill by shortening drying times, are environmentally friendly because they re chemical-free, and are ultimately healthier for your body for the same reasons. Dryer sheets are filled with chemicals and don't have the power to reduce your drying time as dryer balls do. For a mere ten to twenty dollars, dryer balls can make a dent in your energy consumption over and over again.
10. Insulation
Like solar panels, insulation is a big-ticket purchase that can save you a lot of money over time. Also, insulation allows you to feel warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer months. Insulation keeps you from losing cool air and warm air through cracks and holes and presents a barrier between the interior of your home and the outdoor elements. Without it, you can run your AC all day and not feel cool and run your heat on high and not feel warm.
Insulation eliminates drafts and air loss by creating an extra layer or barrier within your interior walls. Another perk beyond more efficient and comfortable heating and cooling is the fact that you will see a reduction in your utility bills. It will take less time to heat and cool your home, thus reducing your energy consumption and saving you money. Many people can cut their electric bills by five to twenty percent and save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills annually.
11. Low Flow Shower Heads And Toilets
Water consumption can drive up your utility bill just like inefficient appliances and machines can. This is why investing in water-saving appliances is a cost-savings that you will see again and again through the conservation of water. These appliances aren't super expensive but can save you money by helping you to use less water without really feeling a difference.
Save on Water
A low flow showerhead may deliver just a gallon and a half of water per minute as opposed to three gallons like a conventional one does. This is done without you noticing a difference in your showering experience. Your water heater will get a little relief as well. Plus, a low flow showerhead won't break the bank. They are relatively inexpensive. You can get one for as low as five or ten dollars or more if you want something fancier.
These showerheads can reduce your water usage to five thousand gallons annually as opposed to eight thousand which will show up in your discounter water bill.
Low flow toilets utilize the same concept. A low flow toilet will cost you more than a showerhead, but it still won't break the bank. Low flow or water sense toilets use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush as opposed to the conventional three or five gallons that are used by a standard toilet.
It's said that flushing your toilet repeatedly accounts for thirty percent of all your water usage.
As a result, its no secret that investing in a low flow toilet can reduce your water usage and save you some money on your water bill. These toilets can easily shave off a few hundred dollars on your water bill every year.
Another benefit of these toilets is that some come with dual flushing options, allowing you to use more or less water depending on how much water is needed to efficiently flush waste from your toilet. This can also be a key option when it comes to saving money on your water bill.
Even if you can't afford a low flow toilet you can use a trick that will help you reduce your water consumption:
You can place a brick in a plastic bag and put it in your toilet tank. You will use less water because the brick will help you to displace the water in your tank. This is one way of saving money until you can afford to purchase a low flow toilet.
12. Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans can cool you down when it's hot and reduce the amount of time that your AC needs to run. Some people can turn the thermostat up and allow ceiling fans to cool them down which can save you some money considering ceiling fans use about as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb. Plus, these fans can circulate and cool a large room, unlike a standing fan.
Very Affordable
Sometimes, using a ceiling fan can allow you to bypass running your AC at all if the humidity is relatively low and it's not that hot outside. Another perk of ceiling fans is that they are a relatively cheap investment. Most can be purchased for under 150 dollars with a little bit more of an investment if you include the cost of installation. However, that's only if you don't install them yourself. Many people install them without the help of a professional. An investment in ceiling fans can save you money by reducing your electric bill by as much as fifteen percent.
13. Solar Outdoor Lighting
Unfortunately, darkness requires light for safety and a whole lot of other reasons. This is why we use our porch lights as well as other lights scattered around the exterior of our homes. Exterior lighting can run your electric bill up because people often keep exterior lights on all night. Unfortunately, this means that even while we sleep, money is still being drained from our pockets, even though we are not using this light directly. This is where solar lighting comes in handy.
Outdoor solar lighting can eliminate the need to utilize electricity to light your home's exterior at night.
Solar light posts absorb energy during the day so that the lighting can be used at night.
This can be vastly beneficial in terms of safety and cost. Plus, the cost of solar lighting varies widely, making it possible to purchase exterior solar lighting for very little or a lot, depending on how much you want to spend. Solar lighting can be very attractive as well. You can purchase them in a variety of different styles and designs to suit your taste. However, the biggest benefit is that you're able to light the exterior of your home for free, beyond their initial investment, during the night hours.
Finally,
There are many products that you can purchase that help you reduce costs and save money. Many of these products are inexpensive but can make a powerful dent when it comes to saving you money. Many of these products are also very earth-friendly which is an additional benefit. There are a few products that can be expensive but pay for themselves over and over throughout time.
Solar panels and insulation are some of the pricier investments that can make a huge dent and save you money. Initially, these two items can be costly but are well worth it because of their cost-saving benefits. However, many inexpensive items will save you about a load of money even though the initial investment is extremely low. LED light bulbs, rechargeable batteries, dryer balls, and low flow shore heads are all relatively inexpensive but do a lot to save you money, both immediately, and over time.
Other money savers can be comparatively less expensive than their conventional counterparts, like Energy Star appliances. They may cost less than your typical washer and dryer but wills till save you money over time. It's up to you how much you want to save and which items you want to invest in to help you save money. There are no right or wrong answers. Some items will be more beneficial than others, depending on your unique situation.
To sum it up, making some investments in cost-saving items is a good way to go if you want to reduce the amount of money you're spending or simply save money.