This weekend, I challenge you to try at least one of these homelab projects. You don’t have to deploy all three, but I’m sure you could benefit from a more private search engine, a “works anywhere” code server, or a self-hosted private budget system.
Build your own private search engine with SearXNG
Why give search giants all your data?
Have you ever wanted to search for something, only to think, “Why does Google have to know every search I make?” Or maybe you’re just someone who values privacy more than the convenience of Google, and you use a different search engine altogether.
You don’t have to do either of those things anymore. SearXNG is a self-hosted “meta” search engine. When you search SearXNG, it privately queries Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.
Whenever SearXNG returns the search results to you, all trackers will have been stripped out, allowing you to visit sites without worrying that people will know more about you than you want them to know.
You’re also able to select a specific search engine with SearXNG. For example, typing !wp paris will search Wikipedia for Paris. Or, doing ! ! (which is two exclamation points separated by a space), SearXNG will search DuckDuckGo and then automatically redirect you to the first search result.
At the end of the day, SearXNG just gives your privacy back when performing online searches. It’s easy to self-host through Docker and it helps pull back one piece of privacy that was taken long ago.
6 Google Search Alternatives That Protect Your Privacy
The search continues.
Program and develop from anywhere with Code-Server
Who says you need to be in front of a computer to build your next app?
It’s no secret that Visual Studio Code is open source—many other IDEs are built on its foundation, like Google’s Antigravity or Cursor. However, what you might not know is that you can self-host Visual Studio Code.
Code-Server, as it’s called, is simply that: Visual Studio Code designed to run in a server-like environment. Easy to deploy with Docker, having Code-Server running in your homelab stack means you’ll be able to develop applications, websites, and more with just your web browser.
It works great at home, allowing you to just access the Code-Server instance via its IP and port and develop from any machine in the house—be that an iPad, laptop, or even phone. The computing power of whatever device your using is irrelevant as it builds and compiles the project on the server itself, not your device.
The real power for Code-Server comes from opening it up through Tailscale, Cloudflare Tunnels, or reverse proxy. By configuring one of these systems, you’ll be able to program away from home instead of just at home. One of the best wayt o use Code-Server is with Tailscale to turn your iPad into a programming workhorse.
How to Develop on a Remote SSH Server With Visual Studio Code
Editing files stored on a remote server doesn’t need to be a clunky mess of shell commands and basic text editors.
Get your finances under control in 2026 with Actual Budget
Other people shouldn’t benefit from your financial data
I’ll admit, finances are not my strong suit—thankfully my wife is great at keeping our finances under control. If you’re struggling to stay on top of your finances, then Actual Budget might be the perfect solution to your problem.
This self-hostable budgeting software puts you in the driver’s seat for privacy and control. Too often, budgeting apps make you sacrifice privacy for function, but Actual Budget bucks that trend. The privacy-focused budgeting app leaves all the data on your devices, and offers optional end-to-end encryption for multi-device sync.
With Actual Budget, you’ll find a clean and easy-to-use user interface that gets out of your way and lets you handle your finances as simply as possible. Actual Budget isn’t just a way to log expenses; it helps you deploy real techniques to try and save money throughout the year and is based on real income numbers instead of made-up numbers.
Not only does Actual Budget help you plan your budget and track your expenses, but it also has a ton of reports built in, like a net worth report, cash flow, and a fully custom report engine so you can design your own to fit your needs.
If tackling your budget was high on your new year’s resolution list, then deploy Actual Budget in your homelab this weekend—your future self will thank you later.
Your homelab is really what you make of it. However, all homelabs have to start somewhere. If I was starting my homelab over, I would focus on mini PCs instead of full-blown servers. They might be low-power, but mini PCs are upgradable, compact, and still pack a punch.
