Inexpensive Ways to Improve Your Home Security

If you’re looking for ways to keep your home safe, you should know that you don’t have to break the bank to do so. You can protect your property and family without putting too much of a dent in your checking account.

Here are some inexpensive ways to improve your home security.

Window Shades

One of the best ways to keep your property secure is to not advertise that you’re away. To do that, simply install window shades on the windows and keep them down. That way, thieves who are scouting around your neighborhood for easy targets will have absolutely no idea if you’re home or not. Fortunately, you don’t need a home refinance to buy shades.

Upgrade Your Locks

If your home was built a long time ago or you’ve owned it for more than a decade, it’s likely that modern day locks are far superior to what you have installed in your doors right now. Even better: you can often find those improved locks at your local home improvement store. Again, they don’t cost a fortune. You can buy new locks with one of your best secured credit cards.

Use Light Timers

When you’re out of town and your shades are drawn, particularly diligent thieves might notice that nobody’s home because the lights aren’t being turned on and off on a regular basis. That’s why you should get an inexpensive light timer and use it to automatically turn your lights on and off every now and then.

Motion Sensors

There’s not much that’s going to scare off the bad guys more than a light that suddenly comes on as they’re approaching the house. They’ll get spooked because they think that someone inside is checking on why people are moving through the yard after dark. The reality is that the light comes on automatically, whether you are home or not, because you’ve installed a motion sensor.

Neighborhood Watch

Band together with people in your neighborhood to form a neighborhood watch. You’ll all take turns walking around the neighborhood on different nights, looking for anything suspicious. Of course, this option will require an investment of your time as opposed to your money, but it’s usually only a few hours each month.

Close That Garage Door

You don’t want to tempt thieves to make you a target by “advertising” what’s in your garage. For that reason, keep your garage door closed except when you’re entering and exiting the garage. Also, be sure to use mechanical locks when you’re out of town to keep thieves from hacking your automatic garage door opener and getting inside your home that way.

Don’t Tell People You’re Away

If you change your voicemail to let people know when you’re out of town, change that habit immediately. If the wrong person calls your number and finds out you’re not in town, he or she might make your house a target for a burglary.

You don’t have to spend a small fortune to keep your house secure. With just a small investment and a few common-sense tricks, you can secure your property on the cheap.