You don't need a hub or an electrician to start. A hundred dollars covers the essentials.
Start with light. A four-pack of smart bulbs connects straight to Wi-Fi, no hub required, and lets you schedule the porch light or dim the living room by voice. Add a smart plug or two and suddenly the coffee maker and the fan are on a schedule as well.
Round it out with a video doorbell so you can see the porch from your phone. That's a lit, scheduled, camera-watched home for about the price of a night out, all of it app-controlled and all of it expandable when you're ready for more.