Saving Money with Today’s Technology
Technology might be more likely to tempt you to spend money than save it, but today’s technology also ensures that you have unparalleled opportunities to save money. Both information and tools can help you identify the best prices, budget, bring down your bills and more.
Finding Money-Saving Options
Do you want to pay less for your homeowners or automobile insurance? Are you pretty sure you can get an item you want for less than the price you’ve been quoted? Online comparison engines can help ensure that you are paying the lowest prices for goods and services, but the savings you can find go well beyond this. Lower overhead for online companies can mean finding savings in such conservative industries as banking. For example, online-only banks often offer favorable interest rates for savings. If you’re looking for private student loans, you can compare offers from your local financial institutions to those of online lenders to find out who has low-interest rates. These days, there’s no reason to say yes to the first price or repayment plan you see for anything.
Make Budgeting Easy
If you’ve ever thought you needed a budget but wished you could essentially just have someone make one for you and then tell you how much money you are allowed to spend on each thing—well, technology is not quite there yet, but it comes pretty close. Some apps can track and classify every bit of your spending, making it easy for you to determine where you need to cut back. You can also set them to alert you when you are reaching your limit in certain categories. If you’d like budgeting help but find this level of tracking intrusive, there are still plenty of apps that can get involved in your spending to varying degrees to help you be more responsible about your money.
Smart Houses for Smarter Bills
Smart houses aren’t just for early adopters who like their tech flashy, but for some much-needed modern upgrades. Two major money savers and greener initiatives offered by smart homes are temperature controls, which adjust as you move from room to room and sprinkler systems that only water your lawn as much as you need it. There are also smart plugs, which you can use to turn appliances on and off remotely. Smart bulbs last longer, use less energy, and allow you to control them remotely. If you’ve ever first learned of a leak in your house because your water bills were huge, you’ll appreciate what a leak detector can do by alerting you immediately to any problems with your water system.
Leisure Time
From streaming movies to seamless online food ordering, it’s never been easier to replicate a night out with a night in, and it costs less too. If you belong to a gym, you might want to consider putting your membership money toward exercise games and videos. You may even be able to pick up a used exercise bike or treadmill that is cheaper in the long run, and videos that help you imagine you’re racing in the Tour de France or walking the Camino Santiago can keep your motivation high.