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Baby monitors have been around in some form or other since the early 20th century, and are now becoming smarter than ever thanks to new tech — take the Owlet, which monitors the baby’s breathing and heart rate, for example. However, for those who can’t afford the latest devices, Dormi is an Android app that enables anyone to turn an old smartphone into baby monitor, delivering notifications straight to parents’ working mobiles.

After downloading Dormi — available for free on Google Play — to both devices, parents can place the old device in their baby’s bedroom. It’s main function enables users to listen in on their child, as well as speak to them — much like a traditional baby monitor. However, the app is able to automatically detect when the baby cries, immediately alerting parents with a notification on their phone. If they’re taking a voice call when their baby begins crying, a small beep will let them know. Parents are also alerted if the second device begins to run out of battery, the signal gets lost, or even if the room temperature becomes too high.

Dormi offers four hours of free usage a month, and parents can pay a one-off fee of USD 6.99 to get unlimited use for life. Are there other ways to help families save money by turning existing devices into substitute versions of existing products?