WHAT SMART BIRD FEEDERS HAVE TO OFFER 1080P BIRDWATCHING
Have you ever gawked at a gorgeous bird with resplendent plumage, an immaculate beak, and its hypnotic call, only to have it fly from your view, never to return? When you try to tell your friends about this beautiful visitor, do they look at you with mild disinterest and disbelief? Then a Smart Bird Feeder may be just the thing for you! These new devices combine technology and convenience to benefit anyone wanting to enjoy the sights and sounds of their backyard birdies.
a bird on its perch, the high-quality Wi-Fi camera begins recording. These videos are saved to the cloud or the camera’s memory card. Some Smart Bird Feeders even alert you to the presence of the birds by sending notifications to your smartphone. Naturally, you can also access the videos directly from your smartphone and share them with friends and family. Not only will your Smart Bird Feeder record birds, but it will also identify them. AI technology can scan the bird and compare it to its vast database of feathered specimens, giving you the exact identity of your flying visitor. For example, the Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder can identify over 6,000 bird species. DON’T SQUAWK AT THE PRICE. One of the downsides of opting for a Smart Bird Feeder is the price tag. The Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder, which Wirecutter recommends in The New York Times, costs $169.99 with a lifetime subscription to its AI service and $129.99 when paired with a monthly subscription. On the plus side, it comes with solar panels, so it can run all hours of the day without needing a battery change. If you are a verified bird-watcher and interested in turning your backyard into a videographer’s apiary, then a Smart Bird Feeder may be a great purchase!
HOW DO THEY WORK? Regular bird feeders are great for feeding local flying friends, although they are susceptible to being knocked over or spilling their contents when the weather turns. Since Smart Bird Feeders only dispense seed as needed, they mitigate the problem of losing feed and pack in the functionality of a game camera. When the sensors on a Smart Bird Feeder detect
CELEBRATE SMART, SPEND LESS
A Guide to Financially Healthy Holidays
SPEND A DOLLAR, SAVE A DOLLAR. Now that you’re shopping much earlier than usual, you can transform your holiday shopping into smarter savings. For every dollar you spend on holiday gifts throughout the year, remove a dollar from your everyday spending and save it instead. You can then put that saved money toward your emergency fund — which, ideally, should always be sizeable enough to support you for 3–6 months if your health or employment status takes an unexpected turn. FLY FRUGALLY. As anyone who’s tried to book a last- minute flight surely knows, it’s best to finalize your holiday travel plans well in advance if budgeting is a concern. According to Expedia, travelers can save up to 24% on domestic flights by booking
The holidays are traditionally a time for family bonding and festive celebrations, but they could also be a catalyst for financial disaster if you let your spending spiral out of control. Here are a few quick tips to help keep your holiday cheer from breaking the bank. ESCAPE THE TIME TRAP. If you find yourself racing through department stores every Dec. 20 in a frantic attempt to clear your holiday shopping list, purchasing gifts in springtime or summer may be a safer bet. Giving yourself more time to shop reduces the stress of being in heavy crowds, lessens your worries about shipping delays, and helps you avoid impulsive last-minute spending that could leave an unanticipated hole in your budget.
at least a month in advance. If you intend to fly internationally over Christmas, you’ll capture the highest savings by buying your ticket no later than June. RAISE MONEY-SAVVY KIDS. The holidays are a great time to teach children the value of money. As they create shopping lists, help them budget for each person and track their spending. The earlier they learn about finances, the better they’ll manage their funds in the future.
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