Simple Tech. Smarter Income. More Freedom
Hey there Sea Changers and welcome to my post where will discuss 5 really good smart home solutions to assist in your online income producing endeavors.
What are Smart Home Devices?
In short, Smart home devices are everyday household gadgets that connect to the internet and can be controlled or automated using:
- Your voice
- A phone or tablet
- Simple routines or reminders
They’re designed to make life easier and is considered smart if it can do one or more of the following:
- Be controlled remotely (from your phone or computer)
- Respond to voice commands
- Send or receive information automatically
- Perform tasks on a schedule
I have to admit, that smart devices are something that I have not generally worked with in the past, however having recently set up a small smart clock with reminders and writing blocks linked to my calendar, I am definitely finding my productivity has improved significantly.
So with that in mind, here are some devices that may be of assistance to you as well.
5 Smart Home Solutions to Assist your Online Business
Ok, so here are some good options for those of you looking to gain an edge with your online business:
1. Amazon Echo Show 8 Smart Display
The Echo Show 8 is more than just a smart speaker — it’s a visual and voice-activated hub that combines a screen, Alexa voice control, apps, and routines into one simple device you can use without touch or heavy tech skills. Key features include:
- See Your Tasks at a Glance – The 8″ HD touchscreen can display reminders, alarms, calendars, to-do lists, and routines without the need to open an app on your phone or computer.
- Hands-Free Voice Control with Alexa – You can use voice commands for such tasks as:
- setting timers for work sessions
- creating and checking to-do lists
- getting calendar updates
- asking for answers or inspiration
- Video Calls & Communication – The built-in camera makes it easy to video call without needing to learn Zoom or install apps.
- Learning & Training on a Bigger Screen -Watch tutorials, business strategy videos, or how-to guides (like Pinterest or affiliate marketing training) right on the Echo Show — without using your laptop or phone.
- Smart Home Control (Productivity Routines) – Through Alexa, you can automate routines like “good morning work session,” for such things as turning on lights, starting a playlist or showing your your schedule etc.
When you buy a new Echo Show 8, you get access to our smartest, most intuitive and connected AI assistant yet. Chat casually without the perfect phrase, manage your compatible devices, use your voice to search meal prep options, book a reservation, organize the family calendar, and more.
2. Amazon Smart Plug
The Amazon Smart Plug is a simple device that plugs into your wall outlet and lets you turn any ordinary electrical device on or off using voice commands, schedules, or routines through Alexa. It essentially turns regular appliances — like lamps, fans, coffee makers, and more — into smart devices you can control with your voice or your phone.
Whilst not as technically advanced as the Echo Show 8 above, it allows you to manage workplace influences without interrupting your workflow routines.
Why is this helpful?
Well, if you are anything like me, having to get up and flick a switch etc. can lead to distractions that will keep me from my work for longer than I care to admit. So, if this is you, this little device allows you to use voice commands and/or schedule device activation without having to get up, or, worse still, pick up your phone.
Amazon Smart Plug lets you use your voice to control lights, fans, coffee makers, and so much more. All you need is an Alexa-enabled device like Echo, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, or even just the Alexa app on your phone.
3. Echo Spot Smart Alarm Clock
The Echo Spot is a compact smart alarm clock with Alexa, to be honest, it works fairly much the same as the Echo Show 8 above with a small display that shows time, weather, reminders, and more. It is also voice controlled and designed to sit on a desk or office shelf to serve as a daily assistant throughout your workday.
The advantage that the clock brings is timings and time blocking which is great for such daily planning as scheduled content creation time, focused writing blocks and it is even good for those who like to work in Pomodoro sessions.
As with other Alexa-powered devices, it responds to voice commands to assist with your daily activities such as:
- “Alexa, what’s on my schedule today?”
- “Alexa, set a work timer for 25 minutes”
- “Alexa, remind me to post on Pinterest at 10 AM”
And once again, hands-free control is especially helpful as it keeps you focused without having to get up and move away from your desk.
Control compatible smart home devices around the house without having to step away from your desk Just ask Alexa to turn off lights, touch the screen to adjust the thermostat, or even start your Alexa routines with motion detection.
Everyday people (including me) are earning THOUSANDS of dollars selling other people's products through affiliate programs .
No inventory. No customer service. All profit.
4. SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Home Hub
For those of you working without all of the modern “smart” appliances, The SwitchBot Hub 2 connects all kinds of devices and makes them work together, including controlling things that aren’t natively “smart.” It supports voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Apple HomeKit via the Matter smart home standard.
In short, the Hub 2 lets you control multiple smart devices through one system to help you keep your workspace environment just right without interrupting your workflow. — including:
- Lights
- Blinds
- Fans
- Air conditioners
- TVs
Additionally, you can automate your workspace so environmental triggers help you stay productive with settings that perform functions such as turning lights on when you start work, opening blinds when the day begins and adjusting the thermostat for comfort at peak hours.
These small automations reduce friction and create a work rhythm that supports consistent action — key for building online income.
Control infrared appliances as well as Fire TV, Apple TV, and SwitchBot Bluetooth devices. Supports up to 25 devices in total (10 infrared + 15 Bluetooth), making your desktop cleaner by consolidating all your remotes.
5. Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a small device that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and turns any screen into a smart learning and media hub. It streams shows and videos in high quality and features Alexa voice control built right into the remote. It also supports fast Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6E) for smooth performance and navigation.
Even though it’s marketed as a streaming device, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max can be a supportive tool for someone building an online business as it will allow you to watch business tutorials, online courses, and how-to videos from YouTube, Udemy or Wealthy Affiliate and more on a TV screen — which is often easier to engage with than a small laptop or phone.
This makes learning more comfortable and less tiring if you’re watching long videos or training sessions.
Level up your 4K Ultra HD entertainment with a powerful 2.0 GHz quad-core processor for lightning-fast app starts, next-gen Wi-Fi 6E support for smoother streaming, and double the storage for even more downloads.
Conclusion
So… There are my 5 smart home solutions to assist in your online business this year. I hope it has been helpful for you as you set up your own home office and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share.
Oh, and especially comment if you have any experience with these, or any other desk options as well.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price. This may include sales made via Wealthy Affiliate and Amazon.
Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own work from home business?
Are you looking for a comprehensive training platform that can give you step by step training, 24/7 support, tools to develop and host your very own website, ongoing assistance with SEO and social media and access to some of the best affiliate marketing minds on the planet, then click on the following link to read more about Wealthy Affiliate.
Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, My #1 Recommendation for Setting Up Your Own Online Business
When I started, I knew I wanted to work online, but had absolutely no idea where to begin! You see I had watched friends of mine run a sales party to sell essential oils and someone asked if they could just sell them online?
Then, as I sat on the bus heading into my office job, I started to wonder if I could do just that, sell essential oils online.
Anything to stop having to catch this bus to and from work every day right!
The trouble was, as I mentioned above, I had no idea how to even start.
So of course I started to look around online and found all these courses! They all promised me riches then took my money but left me with no riches!
Then I stumbled across the program that didn’t promise me riches, but told me it could help me get started even with no experience!
So I did that, joined Wealthy Affiliate that was it, and the rest as they say, is history!
But it doesn’t come without work!
That is the key here! I began on their starter membership and did the training! I then joined as a member and did some more training!
Each night after work, I would do a little more, then a little more.
And to cut a long story short, after 10 months I realized I didn’t really like writing about essential oils, so I sold the site for about $2000. But I had learned so much that I started another – about fishing and camping!
Then, after 18 months (by which time it had earned me close to $10k), I was offered $17k for the site, so I sold it too.
Now, through my travel blog, I’ve been able to fund my passion for travel and explore different places around the world.
In the past few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing destinations, including Bali, Los Angeles, Dallas, Vancouver and Las Vegas.
The success of my travel blog has allowed me to fully fund my travels and explore new destinations with my family.
Try the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter Member and Build your First Hub!
As you start your journey, Wealthy Affiliate is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And as I have mentioned, I have used a few in my professional career trust me.
To get you started, Wealthy Affiliate has recently introduced the Hub.
The Hub
The hub is an AI based niche and website creation tool that will get you up and running with the foundation of your OWN business in just a few minutes. This includes:
- Your website – hosted and inclusive of a WordPress editor
- Your brand
- Your ‘done-for-you’ research
- Your blueprint
- A task list that is going to help you drive the creation and growth of your business moving forward.
The hub makes the website creation process simple which allows you to get started on the training with a solid base and understanding of the processes.
All you need to do is choose your subject – which is known as your ‘niche’ – and follow the steps on the screen.
Oh, and as you run through the training below you may realize that what you created above is not exactly what you want. That’s ok, you can just create a new hub!
Wealthy Affiliate Training
Then as you continue your journey, the Wealthy Affiliate Hub is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And I have used a few in my professional career trust me.
Above we discussed the use of the Hub to set up a website. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the “Step-by-Step Core Training”.
This is available to all members including starter members and will give you everything you need to know to continue to create your online business.
Member Training
There are also Live weekly classes taught by REAL industry experts on a range of topics like artificial intelligence (AI), SEO, YouTube, WordPress, PPC marketing and more.
Great, What Else Does Wealthy Affiliate Have To Help You?
So, let’s keep this short, Wealthy Affiliate is a one-stop-shop platform that provides:
- The Hub – this is the starting point and uses AI processes to assist you in determining your niche and creating your brand.
- Complete training programs to assist with the development of your own affiliate marketing website in your own niche.
- Website creation and publishing tools including access to WordPress editors and themes.
- AI Content article design and content creation
- Domain name purchasing (you get a free domain when you upgrade to the Premium membership).
- Website hosting, security and backup.
- Online help and chat forums.
- Weekly live training events.
- 24/7 support.
- Keyword access tools.
- SEO assistance.
The platform has been active for over 15 years with the original developers and owners, Kyle and Carson, still extremely active in its day to day operations – especially as they rollout their AI capabilities.
You Can Try it Yourself For Free
Now of course I can tell you all about how Wealthy Affiliate works (because it does) until I am blue in the face. But every other program out there – including the shams and scams – will tell you the same thing!
So how about you just try it for free yourself. The Wealthy Affiliate Starter membership is free to join and gives you access to everything you need to get started – all without the need to spend a cent!
With the starter membership, you get:
- 1 Limited Business Hub
- 1,500 AI Word Credits
- Try the AI Author Platform (BETA)
- 1 Practice Website
- Jaaxy Starter
- Limited Help & Support
- Core Niche Training (8 Classes)
And of course I will be there to help you every step of the way as well!
Look, in the interest of transparency, whilst Wealthy Affiliate does offer a free starter membership, this is designed to give you a look around, have a practice and see if it is worthwhile for you – which is a really great option.
However, as with all new businesses, you will need to make some investment so if you are serious about making money online , you will need to upgrade to a premium membership as this will give you access to all the tools you need in the one spot to succeed!
Afterall, every business needs tools to grow!
So How Much Does This Really Cost?
Wealthy Affiliate does not use upsells once you join – but as I mentioned in the video, to succeed here you will need to invest in a membership. There are a couple of options that provide access to all the tools, training and assistance that you could need – and a free domain as well.
Wealthy Affiliate offers a trio of membership tiers, as detailed on their pricing page.
You can opt for the Starter membership at no cost, the Premium membership for $49 per month or the Premium Plus+ membership for $99 per month. That’s the full extent of it – and you can absolutely build your website without having to spend another cent.
You won’t encounter any unexpected additional charges or covert fees and as a Premium member, you’re equipped with all the essentials to initiate, develop and expand a thriving online enterprise.
Those who opt for the Premium membership are provided with
- Hosting for their websites
- A complimentary domain name
- Access to hundreds of hours of current expert tutorials
- Various marketing and research tools
- Personal guidance from seasoned professionals in the field
- And much much more
And for those of you who want to make a serious investment into your future, there are some yearly options as well below to give you peace of mind that you have a whole year ahead of you to get stuff done!
And Don’t Forget the Personal Coaching
Once you join, not only do you get plenty of assistance from me, but you also have access to expert coaching, support and mentorship from real industry experts.
I mean, you can have access to all of the top-tier affiliate marketing training in the world, but inevitably, questions arise, particularly during the initial stages.
With an exceptionally dynamic and engaged community that boasts over 2.7 million members, Wealthy Affiliate offers an environment where you, as a member, can fully immerse and leverage this network.
You’re never alone; you have the collective wisdom of an entire community at your fingertips, ready to assist at any moment.
Plus, there’s always-on, rapid-response website support to handle any technical queries you may encounter.
Wealthy Affiliate Works: Real Results From Real People
As I have mentioned a number of times, Wealthy Affiliate has helped me make real money online though its training and tools.
I have made money each month as well as a sale for $17,000.
But again, those promoting other programs will tell you the same thing!
So let’s get away from me and see what others are saying:
To start with, Wealthy Affiliate has a 4.9 out of 5 Star TrustPilot rating, which is a remarkable accomplishment in any industry, let alone the online business industry.
And here are some of those reviews:
And this is what people are saying within Wealthy Affiliate as well:
So, Let’s Make a Decision!
Let’s be frank, you have read this far so why not go all in, click on the button below to get started on the way to your very online business.
And once you are in and have had a play around with the hub, look for the little envelope on the top right and there will be a message from me. It is of course automated so respond to let me know you are there and we can start this journey together.
(oh, and the profile is mine so you can find me that way as well)
See you there
Paul
