If you’re looking to upgrade your home to smart and more high-tech in the year ahead, you need to be sure you’re making the right choices from the ground up. Some tech looks cool but ultimately doesn’t do much to improve your life; some gadgets may already be on their way to becoming obsolete. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of something shiny and new, but you don’t want to be stuck with an expensive, cumbersome upgrade that it’s costly to get rid of. Consider the points below as you choose the right tech for your home.
Cost
You’ll be limited by what you can afford, and you should also keep in mind that some devices are likely to come down substantially in cost over the next few years, so it may be worth waiting. You may need to reduce your monthly expenses to pay for your new devices when it comes time to purchase. There are ways to approach this, from cutting back on your shopping and entertainment budget to looking for cheaper options for some of your regular bills. You may want to drop some subscriptions or streaming services you don’t use that often. You may also want to think about consolidating your student loan debt. If you aren’t sure what this entails, take a look at a guide that will help you understand what is involved in a private student loan consolidation. You could end up with lower interest rates and lower monthly payments.
Your Needs
Before you get too carried away with all the exciting things you can do at the push of a button or a voice command, try to take a high-level view of what you hope to accomplish. Is your primary concern home security? Do you want to create a home that is more energy-efficient, or are you hoping to be able to access information more easily? Maybe you are hoping to automate more of your housework. Keep in mind that while you can get robots to mow your lawn, clean your floors and fold your laundry, the household chores part of smart homes is still largely in its infancy.
Steps to Take
Once you know what you want your house to do, you can decide what brand you want to go with for your main system. Things you may want to consider are privacy and compatibility with various devices. You’ll then choose a screen or speaker that you can use as the main controller for the devices in your home. If you do run into compatibility issues once you’ve selected a system, you may be able to get a smart home hub that will help keep your devices connected.
Understand Privacy
You should understand what kind of data you are sharing and what kind of security is offered by the devices you are using. Collecting some data is inevitable, but some companies collect more than others, which could include video and audio. You should also find out what their data sharing policies are like as well as how to delete voice recordings and other types of information.
