Money Saving Technology at the Top of My Christmas List

I can remember when Hillary Rodham Clinton introduced the bill to end all non-cfl bulbs in the United States. This scared me to death, particularly because I know how hideous I can look under those types of lighting conditions. My vanity aside, this particular piece of law has literally helped me save hundreds of dollars on my electric bills, and will continue to save me money in the future. So while the 1% can enjoy spending as freely as they like, the rest of the 99% have to live more frugally. Thank goodness for technology that saves money on the monthly bills.

Google Voice And Video Chat

In the old days, actually just sounded like my dad there, driving everywhere to see everyone was an option. I remember when gas was $0.86 per gallon and what did I care if I had to fill up six times on the way to see my grandparents. In order to save on my travel expenses, I can still have a face-to-face with friends, relatives, and even business contacts using Google Voice and Video Chat. Most people are still not aware of these services offered by Google. They are completely free to use, and if you have a webcam, you can video chat for free with anyone using the same service. You can also get a free phone number through Google Voice. This is similar to Skype, but works in conjunction with your gmail account and also allows you to ring all your phones from one number. Did I mention that all of these Google services are free?

Amazon Cloud and iCloud - Get Your Head In The Clouds!

Although iCloud is just hitting the market, several companies offer different "Cloud" based programs and storage. Most of the iCloud services are completely free, but there is a $25 per year fee for the iTunes Match service that works with iCloud. Also, Amazon gives all users their own 5 gigabyte cloud space completely free. Both services offer extra storage space for small fees if you need more. The ability to access all you files from any of your devices anywhere in the world is an appealing proposition. It can help you in your business life, school, or personal life. Security has been beefed up so there is no need to worry about your data. I have used the Amazon Cloud for about a month and have stored lots of documents and music. For now it is working as a back-up drive for my files.

Nest - Learning Thermostat Gives An Update to Outdated Thermostats

This is the first technology on my Christmas list that actually costs money. Have you ever heard the old saying, "Sometimes, you've got to spend money, to make money."? The Nest thermostat hasn't hit the market just yet, but by all accounts is one technology that can save owners hundreds of dollars per year, if not more. The numbers are astounding of the number of households that never program their thermostats at home because they are too complicated. This results in losing, or wasting, lots of money and energy. The Nest thermostat learns your habits and uses algorithms to determine cooling and heating schedules for your home. It is completely digital and is operated by turning the outer ring, similar to old thermostats. Over time, the Nest will show you reports on where you are saving the most money. By far one of the coolest looking tech gadgets out for Christmas this year. Did I mention that this was created by the designer and creator of the iPod?

So this is just a glimpse of my Christmas list, but the technology is slowly coming out that can really save users money. Learning to keep more money in your pocket, and having gadgets to help you do that is a winning combination.

Additional Sources:
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/money-saving-tech-tools-1042/