Smart homes give you the ability to control practically every aspect of your home. However, creating an entire smart home can cost thousands of dollars since you need to hire an electrician to rewire almost your whole house.

An easier and less expensive way to create a smart home is to install smart plugs. Also called smart outlets or smart sockets, these plugs allow you to turn almost any device into a smart one. These smart plugs can introduce you to a world of home automation since they function independently, but can also integrate into home monitoring systems.

When you first look at a smart plug, you might realize they look a lot like travel adapters. Simply place the smart plug into an electrical socket, install the app associated with your plug, plug in the desired smart appliance, and you're set. You can now turn the device on and off from anywhere at any time. Some of these plugs also monitor energy usage.

Some common ways you can use smart plugs include the following:

Coffee makers: Connect your coffee maker to a smart plug and set a time for it to turn on so you'll wake up to fresh coffee in the morning. Program the maker to turn off the pot after a certain time.

Lights: Combine smart plugs with motion detectors to turn on lights when you enter a room. During the holiday season, you could decrease power consumption by setting up times when the lights are on or off.

Space heaters: With the weather turning colder, consider using smart plugs with space heaters. In addition to the convenience of turning on the heaters remotely, you can also monitor their energy usage.

Thermostats: You can control a smart thermostat with a smart plug and turn up the temperature on a cold morning without having to get out of bed. You could also change the temperature setting when you're looking to conserve energy.

Installing smart plugs in your home is an excellent way to cut back on costs while keeping your home fully automated. Head to your nearest home improvement store and get your home automated today.

Sources: Techhive.com, Nymag.com, Constellation.com