Okay, let’s be honest — when we hear “smart home,” we immediately think of some big fancy setup with expensive lights, voice-controlled doors, and gadgets that cost a bomb. At least, that’s what I used to think.

But one day I thought: “Why not try making my room a little smarter… but on a budget?”
So, I gave myself a simple challenge:
Make my room a smart home for ₹2,000 or less.

And guess what? It actually worked. No electricians, no big spending, and no tech degrees needed. Just a few affordable gadgets and my regular WiFi. Here’s exactly what I did.

Step 1: Don’t Think Too Big. Start Small.

You don’t have to turn your whole house into a scene from Iron Man. Start with the small things — your light, your phone charger, maybe a fan or lamp.

I started with just two things:

A smart plug
A smart bulb

Together, they cost me around ₹1,800, and that’s it — I was already in the smart home game.

Smart Plug — Best ₹800 I Spent

This is honestly the best thing I bought. A smart plug looks like a normal plug, but it connects to your WiFi. You plug in any device — like your charger, fan, or lamp — and then control it from your phone.

That means I can switch off my phone charger without getting out of bed. Or turn on the fan before I even enter the room.

You can also set a timer — like, charge for 1 hour and then turn off automatically. No overcharging!

I bought:

Wipro 16A Smart Plug for ₹999 (on sale)
You can also check:
Zebronics Smart Plug – around ₹800
Syska Smart Plug – sometimes under ₹700 during offers

It took just 5 minutes to set up through an app. No wiring, no confusion.

Smart Bulb — Mood Lighting + Laziness = Win

Next, I got a smart bulb. And honestly, this one made the room feel smart instantly. You can change the color, brightness, and even schedule it to turn on or off — all from your phone.

Sometimes I use warm yellow for relaxing, white for reading, and sometimes even purple when I’m feeling extra fancy.

I bought:

Mi LED Smart Bulb – ₹799

Other options:

Wipro Smart LED Bulb – ₹699
Philips Smart WiFi Bulb – a bit pricey but solid

And yes — these also work with voice if you have a smart assistant. But even with just your phone, it’s super cool.

Use Voice Commands (Yes, Without Alexa or Google Nest)

Here’s a fun fact: You don’t need to buy a smart speaker to use voice control.

If you have an Android phone, you already have Google Assistant.
If you have an iPhone, you have Siri.

So now I just say:
“Hey Google, turn off the charger.”
“Hey Google, switch on the light.”

Boom. Done.
And I didn’t even spend money on a smart speaker.

I Set Up a Few Routines (Feels So Cool Now)

Now that both the smart plug and smart bulb are running, I added a few routines:

Morning light: Turns on at 7 AM like a sunrise
Phone charging: Automatically stops charging after 1.5 hours
Night mode: Light dims at 10:30 PM, turns off at midnight

And it feels SO satisfying. No touching switches. No leaving things on all night. Just smooth, simple automation.

Where I Bought These Things

I got everything online — mostly during sales.
Here’s where you can check:

Amazon India
Flipkart (during sales like Big Billion Days)
Croma, Reliance Digital sometimes have offline deals too

Smart plugs and bulbs often come under ₹1,000 if you keep an eye out for offers.

What If the WiFi Goes Off?

Don’t worry — if the WiFi goes down, the bulb and plug still work like normal. You can switch them off and on just like regular devices. So you’re never stuck in the dark.

Final Thoughts — Smart Home ≠ Expensive Home

A smart home doesn’t mean you need to be rich or super techy.

It just means making your daily life a little easier. And in today’s world, when we’re already doing everything from our phones, why not control your lights and charging too?

So yes, under ₹2,000, I now switch off my phone charger from the couch, set the mood with my light, and wake up to a room that lights itself. And honestly? That’s pretty awesome.