Gadgets that help you Save Money

Most of us (especially men) like gadgets and most of us like saving money. So why don’t you look for gadgets that can help you save money?

We have tried to find these gadgets that can save you money (in the long run.) Another plus is that most of these gadgets make environmental sense as well.

Electricity Usage Monitor

This device can measure how much phantom load your powered-down electrical devices are still using (such as adapters, devices in standby mode, etc.) If you unplug these devices or use a “smart” power strip (that can act as a power off switch) you can save a lot of energy and thus money. Most of the usage monitors can also calculate how much energy you will save in a day, week or year. The usage monitors cost around twenty dollars.

Battery charger

If you have small kids, then you know that a lot of the toys these days are powered by batteries. With a battery charger you can quickly reduce your costs. When you buy a battery charger make sure it is a universal charger which can charge many different types. A battery charger costs around eighteen dollars.

Flash-drive / USB-key

A flash-drive / USB-key can be used over and over again. These days more and more devices have USB ports, so you can use an USB-key to exchange files instead of using CD-ROM’s or DVD’s. You can also use them as a backup medium. You can re-use a flash-drive / USB-key, thus you save money on the “old” types of media (cd-r or DVD.) The cost of a flash-drive / USB-key is around twenty dollars (it depends on the capacity. Think about the capacity that you need before you buy.)

Outdoor Solar Lights

If you like to use ambient lights in your garden or on your patio then you can use solar lighting. These solar lights store power during the day, so you can turn on a light for free during the night. Outdoor solar lights cost around twelve dollars.

Efficient ShowerHead

High efficiency showerheads save money by reducing the amount of water that flows through the showerhead and the water pressure is maintained. An average household can save up to 12,000 gallons of water each year and thus saving you money. The cost of an efficient showerhead is around twenty-five dollars.

Programmable Thermostat

This is a must have! You can program your heating or air conditioning needs one time and then you never have to think about it again. For instance: lower the temperature at night and turn the heat back on in the morning. Another example is that you turn down the heat during the day, when everybody is to school and work. Then fifteen minutes before everybody gets home you can turn it back up. If you use a programmable thermostat you will save energy and thus you save money. A programmable thermostat costs around forty dollars.

Espresso / Cappuccino Machine

Are you one of those people that stop at Starbucks each day before you go to work? Does your partner do the same? Why don’t you buy a decent espresso or cappuccino machine and make your own coffee. This will save you a lot of money and the taste is the same. A good espresso / cappuccino machine costs around two hundred dollars.
If you look around in your local hardware store, you probably can find some other gadgets that help you save money. Try it!