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Running a cheap home server to cut down on subscriptions isn't something that requires a beefy PC to power all the self-hosted applications you plan on having. Something as small as a mini PC can assist with bringing the dream to life, and in the past, devices as cheap as a Raspberry Pi were great recommendations. However, despite how cheap the hardware itself can be, you might be incurring more costs than the subscriptions you've cut by running your homelab with zero tweaks — after all, leaving your system on 24/7 and powering various storage devices can all potentially drive your bill up.

If you're looking to cut electricity costs, there are plenty of options out there, including some you can implement on the software side before even looking at hardware.…