With the rising costs of living putting a strain on many families – not to mention the Feds’ huge rate hike (to curb inflation) that will likely affect your credit card and mortgage payments – Americans are looking for ways to save.

In fact, Google Search says there was a huge spike for words like “cheap” and affordable” over the past few months, which reached its peak in June (so far), confirmed Colette Garcia, Global Communications and Public Affairs, Search at Google, in an email to USA TODAY.

And with gas prices up to a record $5/gallon (on average) across the country, it’s no surprise Google also says there has been a jump in search queries tied to electric vehicles (EVs).

Electric vehicles:  The pros and cons – and costs – of switching to a plug-in car

Speaking of tech, those who still want to treat themselves or loved ones – perhaps as a gift for dads and grads this month – need not break the bank on premium products to have a premium experience.

That is, you might not hear much about inexpensive gadgets, but they exist, and often, without much compromise.

“As consumers feel the effects of inflation in fuel and food, they are likely to look for bargains in discretionary tech purchases,” confirms Avi Greengart, president and lead analyst at Techsponential, a firm that offers research and advisory services to technology companies and retailers. “The good news is that there are deals to be had, especially in televisions and smartphones.”

The following are five such examples of “best bang for your buck” tech items.

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Bundle up

The only thing better than snagging a powerful smart speaker for $38 is when a smart light bulb is included in the price.

Such is the case with the all-new Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen), bundled with the Wi-Fi-enabled LIFX Smart Bulb.

Use your voice to summon Alexa, your personal assistant, to control your lights and other smart home gear (like Wi-Fi thermostats), stream music and podcasts, shop online, set alarms or request info like weather, news and sports scores. (While you can do it, you may not want to ask for stock prices until the market rebounds!).