But it doesn’t have to be this way.

A convenient yet affordable smart home might be closer than you think.

The first step in achieving affordable smart home convenience is taking stock of everything youre paying for.

A woman looking frustrated surround by smart home tech.

You likely have options to achieve a similar level of convenience for less.

Play with the numbers until you reach a monthly outgoing cost that doesn’t feel too excessive.

You dont necessarily need the priciest options to achieve any of those goals.

Tuya Wi-Fi IR Blaster on a wooden desk.

For example, theWyze Bulbis an inexpensive alternative to the popular Philips Hue smart light system.

Start your smart lighting journey off on the right foot with a powerful, easy to use color bulb.

Even some of the most advanced smart home features can be yours with no monthly fee.

All cameras and smart hub from Reolink that made it to works with home assist certified.

Platforms like Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings comprise entiresmart ecosystems.

The best part is that Home Assistant works with almost any smart unit.

It’s easy to get started with a basicRaspberry Pi kit.

Article image

Start your smart lighting journey off on the right foot with a powerful, easy to use color bulb.

you could evenstream music with Home Assistantto any smart speaker you own.

It is important to identify which features are actually worth it for you.

Building a smart home is all about creating an environment that improves how you and your family live.

Smart Bedroom

Buying smart home products purely for their popularity or cool factor is a fast track to overspending.

Starting the Home Assistant setup process.

Adding a new group in Home Assistant.

A Yale smart lock keypad on a table.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek