The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.Shopping smart isn't just about buying things on the cheapit's about investing in services that'll prevent you from having to make additional purchases in the future.This line of thinking is especially difficult to adapt in the consumer tech world, where every company does their best to convince you that this year's Thing is constantly superior tolast year's Whatever. However, there are certain gadgets out there that can actually pay for themselves in the right hands. Here are a few of them.An HD antennaWe've taken a look at a bunch of HD antennas recently, and this one from Monoprice provides solid reception at a good price. It's biggest drawback is that it's not omnidirectional, so for the best results, you'll need to point it in the direction of a tower to get the best reception. I've never paid for cable, but bought an HDTV antenna recently and am very pleased with the results. You don't get nearly as many channels as you would with even a basic cable subscription, but on the other hand, you're not paying for cable every month. This is the perfect investment if you're looking for an inexpensive way to watch big network TV shows and events, like "The Big Bang Theory" or the Oscars, live.Monoprice Large Paper Thin HDTV Antenna, 14.99, available at AmazonUK.Rechargeable batteries and charging dockThankfully, a lot of electronics have transitioned away from running on standard batteries. But if you've still got a few stragglers that are still running fine, do yourself a favor and buy a set of rechargeable AA's or AAA's. These Eneloop batteries from Panasonic can be recharged up to 2,100 times and can hold a majority of their charge for up to 7 years. They're likely to outlast whatever you're using them to power, and a four pack of Eneloop batteries only cost three timesas much as a pack of regular batteries that you can only use once. A four pack should suit most people fine, but if you've got kids with lots of toys, it might be wise to step it up to an eight pack. These batteries don't come with a recharging dock, so I'm also going to recommend an eight-bay dock from EPL here as well.Panasonic B Eneloop AA 2100 Cycle Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries (Pack 4), 10.33, available at AmazonUK.EBL 8 Bay AA, AAA, Ni-MH, Ni-Cd Rechargeable Battery Charger, 9.99, available at AmazonUK.Your own cable modemAs Tech Insider's Tim Stenovecobserved, you're wasting cash if you're renting a cable modem from an internet service provider. That $5-$10 monthly fee adds up over time, and it's unnecessary when you can pay a flat fee for your own device upfront. The Surfboard SB6141here is compatible with most major ISPs, and while its 250 asking price looks intimidating, it'll most likely be recouped within a year.Arris SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem (White), 297.47, available at AmazonUK.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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