Finding a way to keep your family safe can be time consuming, frustrating and expensive. When it comes to home security, it may take you months before you find the best tips and techniques to help out your household. Of course, it doesn’t help that the numerous home security items on the market are incredibly costly and could leave you in a budget crisis after the first month. There’s no need to fret though, especially when there are tips and techniques that can be incredibly cost effective. In fact, some of the best security techniques won’t just leave your household feeling safer, but they also won’t cost you over $100. So, sit tight and let these ten tips help guide you to the right security for your household.
1. Lighting
When it comes to keep a location secure, nothing does the trick quite like lighting. In fact, even a porch light has been known to detour foul play, because it keeps the home in the spotlight where it is easy to recognize unusual behavior. Of course, running your home’s lighting all of the time can be bad for your electric bill, so you may want to find a few other solutions. For starters, you can easily install motion detector lights in the front and back of the home. These will allow you to keep your house dark, but the second a motion is detected your home will be well lit. You can also install solar lighting in your yard to help keep the home lit at night without having to keeping paying expensive bills. If you tend to be at work until late, or if you’re going on vacation then putting lights on timers can be an excellent way to make the home safer.
2. Security Cameras
If you’re really stressed out about your home’s security or want to know what goes on when you’re away, then security cameras are a great way to go. Try to find a camera or two on clearance and work from there. Generally, they’re less expensive than you think if you can find a good deal, so don’t stress before you even look. When you find the right camera for you, try your best to install it on your own to save even more money. You can hook the cameras up to record on a DVR all day or you can stream the live feed to your phone or laptop. If the cameras aren’t obvious then they may be more of help after the fact, rather than prevention, but all the same you’ll have ample evidence on hand if you ever need it. Of course, exposed cameras do work as a great detour.
3. Home Security Sales
A lot of people choose to go the home security route. There’s nothing wrong with this is if you have the money to spend because it offers a full range of coverage. The only problem is the price for these services can be astronomical if you’re not careful. The best thing you can do is find your system during a sale. This generally means that you will get all of the equipment, an install and a year’s service for one low price. These types of sales are important because it allows you to get the expensive part out of the way for less money. Once the system is set up then it gives you a good chance to try it out and see if it’s worth keeping before you make the commitment. If you’re not keen on the first service you picked then cancel after your contract is up and surf the next sale.
4. DIY Monitor
Home security systems don’t work out for everyone. In fact, some people have horror stories to share about their system. This doesn’t mean they don’t work for some people though! If you’re fed up with your security system and you own the equipment then there are a few ways you can still use it to your advantage. With a few simple things that you can do to your equipment, you can turn your home security system into a self-monitoring guru. If you’re not sure where to start then look up a few tutorials. Try to keep your search honed in on the type of system you have though because this will help ensure success. When you find the perfect tutorial, give it a try. Before long you may have complete control of your home, without having to go through a second party. Many people control their security from their cellphone, which allows you to take control from anywhere. This little technique has saved many people a lot of money, particularly in false alarm fees.
5. Get a Watch Dog
One of the best ways to keep your home secure is to add a four legged friend to the mix. However, I’m not saying go out and get a dog just to keep your home safer. If you do choose to adopt a dog make sure to love it, spoil it and make it a part of the family too. Dogs are great when it comes to security though because they are very firm when it comes to protecting their home and their humans. Usually, it doesn’t matter the size or breed of the dog as these furry friends either scare off or detour some activity. Usually, a dogs barking is enough to send someone running, especially if they’re somewhere they’re not supposed to be. If you’re not secure with just having a dog around, then you may want to take your pet through a special course. There’s many to choose from and the courses may help you bond and improve your pet’s behavior. Of course, dogs can be costly, but they won’t cost you as much as the home security system each month. If you’re worried about the price tag of dog ownership then try to choose a small to medium breed, as the expenses will be a little less.
6. Start a Neighborhood Watch
Believe it or not, but getting to know your neighbors is one of the best ways to avoid criminal activity around your home and your neighborhood. Back in the day, neighbors were tight knit, but now most neighborhoods tend to keep to themselves. By simply introducing yourself to your neighbors, you increase the likelihood that they would call the police if something were wrong on your property. This is especially true when it comes to leaving for vacation as it allows others to know they need to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. Of course, getting to know the neighbors is only the first step though. You should also consider signing up for a neighborhood watch. With only a few people from the neighborhood on board, you’ll have enough to add a little extra patrolling at night. You’ll also be able to get signs to put in the neighborhood, which will alert others not to bother with your area. You won’t have to go through any special training to do this either, but the options are available if you’re interested.
7. Lock Up
It may seem like common sense to lock up the home, but there’s extra steps you can take to ensure the house is nice and secure. For starters, check all of your locks before you leave the home. Yes, even those awkward upstairs windows and garage doors should be locked before you say bon voyage. If your locks are outdated or don’t seem to be doing the trick then replace them as soon as you can. One of the most important locks is a deadbolt for the front and back doors. You don’t have to get fancy with this, but if you do want a little extra security you may want to consider a keypad lock that will freeze the door if any tampering occurs. If your home has a lot of windows or sliding glass doors, you can add to the security by placing a stick or rod on the track. This can be easily made from an old mop or broom but you can also use items from around the house. This simply stops the window or door from opening if the lock fails.
8. Signs
Another way to keep criminals away from the home are simple signs. For starters, you may want to put up a sign warning about dangerous dogs. It doesn’t matter if you have a dog or not as the sign will put the initial fear of a dog attack in someone’s mind. Also, trespassing signs can help out too, especially if they mention fines. You should also consider getting home security stickers. Even if you don’t have the system anymore or never had one to begin with, the signs can help fool those who want to do harm. Of course, neighborhood watch and other security signs are also a must when keeping your home safe. If you can’t find a sign to your liking then print one, there’s lots of websites that will let you have a little fun with it.
9. Mind Your Landscaping
Foliage can really make your yard beautiful, but it could also be a real hazard to your safety. If you have a lot of foliage then you may want to consider downsizing in order to keep the family safe. One way to do this is to make sure you don’t have trees or shrubs close to the home. These are easy to hide in, which can be unsafe. If you do want to line the home with shrubs, make sure they’re cut low and aren’t thick and bushy. Trees can be another huge problem, especially if they are low to the ground or if their trunk is very thick. If you have a willow tree or other similar foliage then you might want to consider trimming it more than normal to help prevent it being used as a dangerous hiding place. Of course, if you have a tree house or playhouse built around a tree then you may want to make sure these items are secure and away from the house too.
10. Be an Illusionist
When you’re on a tight budget, being an illusionist can do you a whole lot of favors. For starters, when you’re not home try to run a battery or solar powered radio. It puts off noise which could make a potential burglar believe someone is actually home. You should also keep your lights on a timer to help create the illusion that you are home. This will also save power as you won’t have to leave a light on 24/7 when you’re on vacation. Another way to help keep the home safe is to utilize blinds and curtains whenever possible. These items help people from seeing inside, which can lead them to believe someone is home or prevent them from seeing anything they may want to take. You can also use the aluminum foil on the window technique, especially during the summer time. Last but not least, if you’re on a tight budget then you may want to consider buying faux security cameras. They won’t actually record, but a lot of them do look like the real deal, which can make someone stop in their tracks right away.
Keeping your home secure is tough, especially in this day and age, so don’t let money discourage you. There’s plenty of easy things to do to give your home extra security, especially when you can’t pay an arm and a leg for it. With these ten tips, you should be able to stress less about your household when you’re away.
