“Alexa, save me some money.” Yes, we wish it was that easy.
Voice assistants like the Alexa-enabled Echo, Google Home, Cortana and Siri and the like have really taken off in the last few years, allowing consumers to shop just by speaking. But if Alexa’s really going to be worth her salt, shouldn’t she be helping you save money as well?
How Alexa can save you some money
Spending via voice assistant is expected to skyrocket 1900%, from $2 billion today to $40 billion in 2022, according to recent data from OC&C Strategy Consultants, an international firm specializing in corporate and business strategy.
When Amazon debuted Alexa in late 2014, it was marketed as a voice assistant to take on the iPhone’s Siri. But due to Amazon’s pervasive influence over the marketplace, Alexa has proven to be so much more. Alexa can shop for you just by you vocalizing a simple command like: “Alexa, find me some double D batteries.”
Blogger Kyle James with RatherBeShopping.com has a cool story on how Alexa can put money back in your pocket. Some of the money-saving techniques are as easy as asking Alexa to find something below a certain dollar amount.
5 ways voice assistants can save you money
Save by paying your bills on time
If you have a problem (like me) with paying your bills on time. Siri can help. Syncing Siri with the RememberTheMilk app allows you to get alerts when that time of the month rolls around.
Save money on travel
Find cheap travel destinations by asking Alexa for locations within your budget. By uttering something like “Alexa, where can I go for $300?” you’ll be given a list of places to choose from. It takes all the guessing out of it!
Save money on restaurant tips
Sharing a meal with some friends? Siri can calculate your portion of the tip. Once you activate Siri on your iPhone all you have to say, by way of an example, is something like “$15.75 with a 20% tip” and Siri will shout out the correct amount.
Save on car repairs
If you sync your Alexa-enabled Echo with Automatic Pro, you’ll be able to decode your “check engine” light without being at the mercy of an expensive mechanic. Automatic Pro also enables real-time location tracking and crash detection.
Save on heating and cooling
According to James, “A few of the more popular smart home devices that work with Alexa include the Nest thermostat, Lutron light switches, Samsung SmartThings, and Philips Hue lighting.” By using your voice assistant to help you control your home thermostat, you can make sure you’re not wasting money heating or cooling your house when you’re not at home.
I asked James if using a voice assistant has really saved him some money. He said, “I’d say that Alexa has saved me as much as $30 a week when I factor in utility costs as well as gas savings as those are my biggest and most consistent savers.”
As always, if you’re thinking about buying a voice assistant, do your homework!
