How Building a Cheap Home Server Can Save You Money
Repurposing old computer hardware into a home server can significantly lower monthly household expenses by replacing paid streaming subscriptions and cloud storage subscriptions.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Repurposing Old PC Hardware
Being around technology or computers for any extended period of time means that you've likely accumulated a decent amount of hardware over the years. With new upgrades and changes to one's setup often comes a question about what to do with old stuff you don't use anymore, or what you can do with any new hardware you get your hands on. It's a common question regarding what to do with old PCs or laptops, but one that has a few surprising answers.
One option that always springs to mind is the creation of a home server, which, if you're a family looking to build your own custom streaming hub or have your own free mass storage unit, is a fabulous bit of financial investment that could be immensely beneficial to you in the uncertain years ahead of us in the technology field. Building a home server is also tantalizingly easy, making the entire process both painless and affordable.
Trimming Down Monthly Streaming Bills
In addition to regular bills, one thing that most households spend a lot of money on during each calendar month is streaming services. There are a lot of them, and nearly every major company in the world has decided to put a plus symbol next to its name in order to enter the streaming service arms race. This can add up to quite a bit of money over the course of four weeks.
One way to combat rising entertainment costs is to build your own home server. With one of these at your disposal, your server becomes something of a custom media machine where you can stream your own shows and movies as you please. It can greatly cut down on the number of streaming services you require, making things a little lighter on your wallet.
It is sometimes shocking to see how many streaming services a family of any size is subscribed to, and using a home server to offset that can really help keep monthly bills down to a more manageable number. Thanks to media servers like Plex, Jellyfin and countless other alternatives, you can populate your device with whatever content you want.
Replacing Cloud Storage and Backups
Huge parts of our personal lives are often stored in digital archives, as many individuals have precious photos and videos logged on their devices. If you are someone who maintains a fairly hefty selection of files, or even just incredibly important documents, a home server can pull its weight by doubling as a mass storage device.
Subscribing to any sort of cloud storage or data backup service can start to add up over the course of a year. By utilizing your own home server, you can cut those elements out entirely. Furthermore, the server itself remains upgradeable over time; if you ever find yourself in need of more space, buying more hard drives and installing them is a snap.
Long-Term Financial and Technical Benefits
By resurrecting an old PC that has seen its last days as a daily primary driver and turning it into a home server, users can save a fairly large chunk of cash on storage and home entertainment needs. It can also act as a sort of building block toward actual custom PC builds.
Once you have a strong understanding of these components and setups, you may find that you retain quite a bit of extra cash in your bank account every month. In a time when technology management can feel overly complex, building an affordable media server stands out as a straightforward way to achieve long-term savings.
Sources
- EngadgetHow building a cheap home server could save you money in the long run
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