Everyone wants to know that their home is safe from intruders. However, the reality is that not everyone can afford the best, strongest, and latest security systems out there. If you are on a budget but still want to make sure your home is protected, don’t worry: There are actually quite a few ways to boost your safety without breaking the bank.
Invest in an Alarm System
Even if you want to save on your home security, you are better off investing at least some money on an alarm system. It is the single biggest deterrent for robbers, and the best way to ensure your home is protected. Besides, there are quite a few affordable options on the market these days, offering flexible packages and protection for as little as $1 a day.
Shop Around for Electronics
If you do want to go for some other high-tech safety gadgets, such as smart home systems and video doorbells, make sure to shop around online first. Electronics deal sites can collate the best savings across the internet for you, which means you don’t have to be constantly checking for tech deals and promotions at individual retailers.
Do Some Safety Landscaping
You’d be surprised at how much landscaping can positively affect your home’s safety. For example, simple gardening tricks to make your home safer include trimming hedges down so burglars can’t hide in them, planing thorny bushes next to windows, and lining the path along windows and doors with gravel so they can’t move silently.
Put Up Signs
An age-old money-saving tactic is to put up signs and decals signaling an alarm system or protective dog, even when you don’t have one. However, does this actually work? The answer: Sort of. A study showed that security signs were the ninth most considered security measure by burglars, but it can be relatively easy for them to pick out a fake one. In other words, put up the signs, but don’t rely on them as your only security measure.
Download a Free WiFi Camera App
By now, most of us have a small collection of perfectly functional old smartphones gathering dust in a drawer. Put them to good use by installing a free Wi-Fi camera app — Alfred is a great choice, with both Android and WiFi compatibility. Just hide your old smartphone in the house, connect it to your current phone, and you have access to remote viewing, motion detection, two-way communication, and even a siren to scare intruders off.
Install Window Locks
Some window locks can be expensive (especially if you get one for every window in the house), but others are extremely affordable. Window sash locks cost from $4 to $15 per lock, and sliding window locks cost $3 tops. Even the more expensive DIY options don’t go much beyond $10 per window, which is well worth it to secure your home.
Know Where to Hide Valuables
A burglar is going to come into the house, try and grab as much stuff as quickly as possible, and hurry out before they risk getting caught. Therefore, it’s a smart move to make it hard for them to find your valuables. Great hiding spots include clever tricks like hollow books, false-bottom drawers, and fake food containers, but also simple ones like putting valuables in the kids’ room.
Be Careful on Social Media
Sure, you want to make all your friends and followers jealous of your awesome vacation pics. However, you are also announcing to the world that your home is empty. Stay safe by waiting until you get home to post, checking your tagging settings, avoiding “checking in” to places, and disabling location settings. If you can’t resist the urge to brag, at least set your profile to private.
These tips really only scratch the surface. Depending on your budget, you can also add things like motion sensor lighting, better locks and bolts, and even fake electronics to make your home seem occupied when it is vacant. Remember that you don’t have to do everything at once: just start with an alarm system that you can afford, and start building up your measures from there.
