There are some services in the home that are considered luxuries. However, there are other services that both you and your family need to have in order to accomplish daily tasks and live both safely and comfortably. Although it hasn't always been this way here are some services that modern homes consider necessities.
1. Electricity
Electricity has become one of the most basic services that everyone needs for everything from heating and cooling to lighting and refrigeration. You also need electricity to operate or charge all of your appliances. The cost of your electricity can vary greatly depending on usage.
However, you can save money by using things like programmable thermostats. You can also wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot water and get energy and water-saving appliances. You can also remind those you live with that the electricity costs money, keeping an eye out for lights that don’t need to be on and appliances that don’t need to be plugged in.
But some people have decided that rather than being tied to the national utility grid they prefer to provide their own electricity via Solar, Wind, or even Hydroelectric. And in some cases such as "Doug and Stacy" people have actually chosen to live without electricity altogether.
2. Internet
Not long ago, people may have considered the internet a luxury. But these days there are several reasons that the internet is considered a necessity. For example, if you work from home, then you definitely need the internet. Children often need the internet in order to do a lot of their homework. One of the ways the internet could be considered a luxury is the time spent surfing the internet as a way to prevent boredom.
To find the best internet plan that works for you, it’s a good idea to shop around and look at the different plans and services until you find one that fits both your needs and budget. There are many different services you can choose from, for example, there are many Spectrum internet plans that offer money-saving bundles*, as well as similar plans from AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity, Cox, and Frontier, all of them offering different services for different monthly rates. But not all 0f them are available everywhere, so your choice may be limited by where you live.
*Most providers offer bundles, allowing you to save money if you buy multiple services from a single carrier. So it may pay to get internet, TV, and phone from the same provider.
3. Phone Service
97% of Americans now own a cellphone of some kind and 85% of Americans own a smartphone up from 35% in 2011. Even though almost everyone has a cell phone, it can still be beneficial to have a house phone. With a landline, you’re much less likely to deal with your calls getting dropped. You can also combine your phone plan with your internet plan. Additionally, it will be easier for emergency services to find you. If you don't want the expense of a monthly phone bill there are Voice over IP (VOIP) Services like Magic Jack that allow you to use your internet as your landline. It can provide economical (or even free*) international calling, forward calls to your cell phone, and more. Magic Jack typically costs about $50/yr.
*If you and the party you are calling install the magicApp, magicApp-to-magicApp calling is free worldwide.
4. Security Services
Home security is more important these days because there is a home break-in every 26 seconds in this country. You can greatly reduce your home's chances of getting broken into by getting a home security system. Not only does this protect your own home, but it also helps keep your neighbors safe. Neighborhoods that have homes with their own security systems have a byproduct of making the general area safer since everyone is protected making all of their homes less appealing.
This doesn't mean that you have to pay a monthly fee, there are a variety of options available that allow you to upgrade your home's security without subscribing to a service.
A basic security system will include an alarm to let you know someone is on your property that shouldn’t be, possibly with the added feature of automatically contacting emergency services for you in the event you can’t. There are some security systems that come with additional features, such as smoke or carbon monoxide monitoring. You may even be able to control your security system from your smartphone rather than having to memorize a code for a keypad.
These are just a few of the modern-day conveniences that are considered essential by most people although as we've seen some people choose alternative (and simpler) lifestyles.
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