7 Best Things Under $50 That Will Lower Your Utility Bills

Receiving your utility bill at the end of the month can be discouraging. If you’re the budgeting type, you work hard to keep all your monthly expenses within their limits. But when the utility bill comes and it’s higher than expected, you have no choice but to cover the difference.

Anyone who pays utilities knows how expensive those bills can be. And after inflation recently reached a 40-plus-year high, costly bills make an even bigger dent in your budget. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to lower your utility bills — saving money and energy in the process.

While some of these tactics involve big, expensive purchases — think energy-efficient windows or brand new solar panels — there are several small gadgets you can buy that can still make a big difference.

Continue reading to learn about the seven best things under $50 that will lower your utility bill.

LED bulbs are huge energy savers on their own — they use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last way longer. Tack on smart technology, which allows you to customize, schedule and remotely operate your lighting, and these smart bulbs can lead to massive energy and utility bill savings.

Smart dimmer switches take your smart lighting to another level, allowing you to compound the energy savings of dimmable bulbs all throughout your house. Smart dimmers let you dim the lights throughout your house with voice activation or remotely through an app on your phone.

While you mainly think about utility savings inside your home, don’t forget about energy-saving gadgets that improve your outdoor spaces, too.

For example, solar-powered outdoor lights can take the place of those you plug into an outlet. Solar lights come in all shapes and forms, from string lights to path lights to lanterns.

Smart plugs give you even more control over the variety of devices plugged in inside your home. They allow you to schedule and remotely operate your devices — like desk lamps and fans, for example — and cut down on these often forgotten energy leaks.

A water-saving showerhead is one of the easiest quick fixes to save energy in your home. One of these cost-effective gadgets can save the average family upwards of 2,500 gallons of water per year.

And not only will you save water, your water heater will have less to heat, saving you energy — and money — there, too.

There’s nothing that says “waste” like a sprinkler running in the rain. A smart sprinkler controller can make sure your in-ground sprinklers run optimally, saving water in the process. Certain models can adjust to weather conditions and forecasts, and they can even water according to the plants in your garden.

While some models are pricey, it’s possible to snag this gadget for under $50. 

Smart thermostats allow you to remotely control and schedule your home’s heating and cooling. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ENERGY STAR smart thermostats save users an average of 8% on utility costs every year.

While that may not sound like much, that equates to $50 per year, meaning if you can buy a smart thermostat for under $50 — and you certainly can — it could pay itself off within one year.

You can spend tens of thousands of dollars making your home more energy efficient — which is great, if that’s what you want to do and you can afford it. But you don’t have to spend big to make a noticeable difference.

Whether you purchase all of these gadgets or only one, both your wallet and the planet will appreciate your lower energy footprint.