6 Great Home Products for Newlyweds

Marriage is a time of new beginnings, with two lives joining together as one. It can also be a time for new gadgets and home goods. Why not start your life together as a married couple with some cool new products for your home? Many of us need a special occasion to justify making big purchases, but often these purchases are worth the money. Here are six great home products newlyweds can enjoy

A New Mattress

Nothing says a new life like a brand-new bed. You’ll certainly feel brand new after getting a full night’s sleep on a comfy new mattress. While a good mattress may seem expensive, it is truly worth the investment – after all, we spend a third of our lives on it! On average, a good mattress will cost around $940.

Consumer Reports has some great tips on buying a mattress. Including making sure you lie down and actually try the mattress out before buying it, and checking the store’s return policy. It can be hard to know how you will like a mattress just from trying it in the store – and it can often take a couple of weeks to fully adjust to it. Make sure you can exchange your new mattress after giving it a try at home if it doesn’t work out as you were hoping.

Comfy New Sheets 

To go along with your new mattress, investing in some brand-new sheets can really improve your sleep experience. Generally, cotton sheets with a medium to high thread count are a good option. Very high thread counts aren’t always an indicator that the sheets are higher quality – in fact, the count can be artificially inflated, and you could be paying a premium for nothing. While prices vary according to thread count, Jim Symmes of Revman International, one of the top manufacturers of sheets and bedding, recommends a thread count of 300–400.

A Streaming TV Setup

Everyone needs a little entertainment, and with more people ditching their cable service, streaming services have become the new favorite. You and your spouse can enjoy popular movies and TV shows with streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. These offer lots of variety in programming, including award-winning original shows, and usually range from $6 –$20 a month. If you don’t own a smart TV, you’ll need to invest in a streaming device like Apple TV, Chromecast or Roku, which can range from around $25–$180.

Sports fans might be wary of cutting the cord for cable, but there are several streaming services that offer ESPN, including DIRECTV NOW and Sling TV, so you can get your sports fix without paying an arm and a leg for a cable subscription.

A Smart Thermostat

The average American home spends 45 percent of energy every year on heating and cooling. A smart thermostat can save homeowners up to $150 a year, paying for itself in the first two years.

Homeowners often choose smart thermostats because of the financial benefits, but they also make steps towards a greener lifestyle. Some smart thermostats track energy-saving progress and record improvement, so homeowners can see the difference they are making for the planet.

Smart thermostats can be controlled remotely, and are designed to recognize your temperature patterns. As they learn your daily habits, they will automatically turn on at set points in the day and turn off while you are away.

Smart Devices

Smart home devices are a fast-growing trend for homeowners; nearly 80 million smart home devices were installed worldwide in 2016. Homeowners and renters alike want smart home tech for a variety of reasons—safety, entertainment, savings and curb appeal.

Home automation devices are a great purchase—especially for couples starting their lives together. When considering home automation, there are a few must-have items to put on your list.

• Amazon Echo– An Amazon Echo can be a great addition to your home, helping keep you entertained with tunes from your Amazon Music or Spotify accounts. The Echo can also control smart home devices (like your new smart thermostat) using just your voice. Amazon Echo now comes in several different models – there’s the standard Echo, which has been refreshed with a new design and improved sound. The smaller Echo Dot, at under $50, has the same features but lacks the built-in speaker of the regular Echo, and the two newer models – the Echo Spot and Echo Show – combine video with Alexa’s other abilities.
• Smart Lock– Like a regular lock, smart locks  provide security and prevent intrusions and theft—ensuring your possessions and loved ones stay safe. They can also make your life simpler by turning on your home’s indoor smart light bulbs and smart thermostat when you unlock the door. There are many smart lock options to choose from, but make sure to purchase one that works with your mobile devices and existing smart home products.
• Smart Light Bulbs– Consider installing smart light bulbs to your outdoor spaces. These consume less energy, produce less heat, last longer, can save you money and can be remotely controlled. This is a great perk when travelling, as you can turn your lights on and off through your smart phone or tablet. You can turn the front porch light on at night and off during the day – saving you money and keeping your home more secure.

New Kitchen Gadgets

A lot of couples put appliances and kitchen supplies on their wedding registries. But if you don’t get everything you asked for, it can be nice to pick up a few things yourself to make your new life easier and more enjoyable.

• Kitchen Mixer—A useful purchase for any home is a kitchen mixer. From pasta-making to baking cookies, a kitchen mixer can be your go-to appliance. Kitchen mixers are a great feature for your counter, but also extremely practical because they are multi-purpose.  The KitchenAid Artisan Series Mixer is a little pricy – about $400 – but it’s always top-rated, comes with a beater, whisk and dough hook, and comes in a variety of fun colors. Another quality mixer is the Breville 5-Quart Die Cast Mixer. Great for beating cake batter and cookie dough, this top-of-the-line kitchen mixer is a great addition to any new home.
• Slow Cooker— Whether you’re an expert chef or a rookie in the kitchen, a slow cooker is an essential purchase for newlyweds. Easy-to-use and convenient, slow cookers are perfect for Sunday meal-prep or hectic work days when you are too busy to prepare a meal after work. You can’t go wrong with a KitchenAid Slow Cooker, starting around $90. And for those home automation fanatics, you’ll love the Smart Wi-Fi enabled WeMo 6-Quart Slow Cooker.
• Vacuum—A vacuum cleaner is a must to keep your space clean. And when it comes to vacuums, it doesn’t get much better than the Dyson Ball. You can find this vacuum for under $400. If the Dyson is a little out of your price range, the Hoover Air Cordless Lift is a great choice.

Marriage can mean lots of changes, and these six home products will help you build your life and a great atmosphere in your home. If you have a home product you love, let us know in the comments below!

The post 6 Great Home Products for Newlyweds appeared first on ZING Blog by Quicken Loans.

from ZING Blog by Quicken Loans http://ift.tt/2hUDMiO


via Naza Finance Blog