The price of a smart home can vary depending on what your goals are with your home, but it is also important to choose the right equipment. Smart homes are meant to be easy to use and make life more convenient, not more confusing or frustrating. 

In the past, we have written about how to convert your home to become a smart home, but we also know not everyone can afford top-of-the-line equipment. To help, we have put together a list of some ways to integrate smart home technology into your home on a budget.

Before You Start, Make a Plan

Planning your smart home conversion is vital, as not all equipment is compatible with one another. There are a variety of different smart home protocols on the current market that need to be considered when implementing your plan; they are:

• WiFi - Most smart home devices utilize built-in WiFi, as well as a few other standard protocols. However, when you run your entire system over wifi, things can slow down.
• Zigbee -  Similar to WiFi, Zigbee utilizes a 2.4GHz frequency. Its range and security are improved, and more importantly, doesn't require the Internet to work.
• Z Wave - This protocol uses 908.42 MGz, which has a better range but much lower bandwidth than WiFi and Zigbee. However, its devices can transmit data from place to place, extending its range indefinitely.

For ease of use, WiFi is the best, as it is easy to set up, and most devices are compatible.

1. One Room at a Time

A great way to save money on implementing your smart home is to pick a central room and start there. While you will eventually spend around the same amount once you extrapolate your cost over each room, installing smart home devices one room at a time can space that cost out and help remove the sticker shock. 

Additionally, as your smart device footprint grows, you may find that you don't need every device that is on the market to meet your goals. 

2. Choosing Your Smart Hub

Automation hubs are the single most important device in your smart home. This is the heartbeat of your system, from where you control all of your connected devices. Some hubs give you the ability to add a voice assistant to your devices. They also can make incompatible devices work together. 

Some automation hubs can be fairly costly; however, the Amazon Echo Dot is an affordable way to get started executing complex tasks throughout your entire smart home. One very important piece of advice when building out your smart home is to stay away from devices that require additional hubs. 

3. Use Smart Plugs and Switches

Want to add more smart home functionality without spending a fortune? Smart plugs are a great way to integrate “dumb” devices into your smart home. These devices plug directly into your electrical socket and are a great way to help save energy. Most smart plugs work with popular hubs and can be scheduled to turn on and off. 

Much like the aforementioned smart plugs, smart switches can be easily installed to control your lights without having to add costly smart led bulbs. These switches work just like a traditional light switch except with all of the functionality that you would expect from a smart device. 

4. Smart Cameras Affordable and Secure

More recently, smart cameras have been integrated into many home security packages. Not only are they fairly affordable, but they are also effective (as long as they are connected to the internet). 

Now, we wouldn't recommend relying on smart cameras to be your only security on-site. When the internet goes down, they are rendered useless, and they do have some lag that CCTV cameras do not experience. However, smart cameras are a great addition to your system or a budget-friendly entry. 

Smart cameras come with plenty of unique options, such as night vision and motion/sound detection. The picture quality is also very good, considering the size of the imaging sensor. They are a great tool when you need eyes on a particular spot inside or outside of your home. We just recommend that you get a wired camera, as batteries always seem to die at the worst time.

5. IFTTT

If you are tech-savvy and willing to really dial in your smart home without spending a fortune on additional apps, IFTTT (If This Then That) is a great way to transform your smart home into something very special. 

Essentially, IFTTT creates actions based on other actions that may occur in your system. For example, you can set up an applet that turns on your lights immediately when you arrive home. 

Avoid Monthly Fees

A huge way to save when building a smart home on a budget is to avoid using services that require monthly fees. More often than not, most of your devices can be managed by free software. Sometimes items such as the Wyze Camera or Ring Doorbell come with paid features. 

Making your home a smart home can easily be done on a budget with some planning and a good idea of what you need. There are also plenty of cost-saving devices, such as smart thermostats, that can help you save on energy. 

By taking things one step at a time, you can experience the luxury of a smart home on a budget. If you are looking to integrate the latest and most effective security systems into your smart home, contact us at Integrity Security today!