Some people like tiny houses because they offer freedom — not only financial freedom, but freedom from being tied downtown to a specific place, freedom from having to work all of the time to pay an expensive mortgage, or freedom of material possessions. Some tiny houses are mobile, and they allow the owner to travel and take their house along. Other tiny houses sit in on an existing property, and some even sit in backyards and serve as an office or guest house. Because of their smaller size, they can offer a money-saving alternative to building a larger structure.
Like any house, however, a tiny house can get pretty pricey. If you go for a tiny house that’s more like a mini-estate or a luxury retreat, it may end up costing you a fat wad of cash, which kind of defeats the purpose. The cost of a tiny home can range from less than $10,000 all the way up to $180,000 or higher, depending the size and options you choose.
We went in search of some of the cheapest tiny house options available, and we found five options priced at around $15,000 or less. You can turn some of these structures into fully functioning homes, and others you can build into a backyard office, hobby cave, or a guest house. However, all of these options are exceptionally affordable when compared to most other tiny houses on the market.
This little structure can serve as a shell for a separate office, guesthouse, or backyard bar. It has paneled interior walls, pre-shingled roof panels, and two functional windows with screens. The shell takes about a weekend to build (two people can build it in about two or three days). If you add the living essentials like electricity, some insulation, and furniture, you can make this cheap little building into whatever you can imagine. Plus, you can buy it on Amazon.
This is another creative tiny house idea you can use in the backyard for whatever your heart desires (a Star Wars memorabilia room, perhaps?). It’s similar to the above option in that it provides the materials for you to build into a shell structure. However, this structure has a deck porch, and you’ll likely need to do a bit more additional work to this one (i.e. the windows and roofing will need more work to make the structure livable). You’ll also need to add the extras like insulation and electrical to make it into a place you’ll want to hang out. But, considering you can buy it on Amazon for under $7,000, it’s not a bad option for someone looking for a backyard DIY project.
This wooden structure is 123-square-feet. It’s ideal as a pool house, a home office, an artist’s studio, a hunting or fishing cabin, or a hobby room.
You can customize the home to your liking, and the model (as shown) is made of Nordic spruce wood. You get free shipping, but this kit doesn’t include foundation or roof materials (unless you add those on for an extra cost). It does seem to be a quality kit though, weighing in at 2,450 pounds.
If you’re a fan of natural lighting, this Lakeview Log Cabin by BZBCabins might be for you. At 209 square feet, the studio-style layout gets plenty of sunlight flowing throughout the space. The kit includes the main components (think floor joists, floor and ceiling boards, doors, and windows), but it does not include foundation or roofing materials.
You can make this cabin into whatever you want though–anything from a hobby room to an office to a tiny home. This provides a solid base to work from for around 10 grand, and you get free shipping.
If you want something a bit larger, you might like this cabin by Jamaica Cottage Shop. The 16 by 20-foot cottage measures 15.4 feet in height and it includes a loft as well as a porch. The first floor has 240 square feet of interior space, while the loft has 96 square feet. You get an additional 80 square feet of porch space–not too bad for a tiny house that costs slightly more than $15,000. Plus, it includes all the lumber, metal roofing, single pine door, window and fastening hardware, free shipping, as well as step-by-step building instructions (yes, you have to build it).
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.