Budget Home Security: Getting Protected On A Tight Budget
You've finally got every gizmo and gadget you've ever wanted.
As a result, you're stone broke.
If you own a 50-inch plasma screen and your front door opens in a strong breeze, you might as well send out a formal invite to local criminals.
You need some kind of home security, but you're on a shoestring.
Well, budget home security doesn't need to be second-rate or require lots of expert know-how.
Applying a little common sense can make heck of a difference without the need to open your wallet.
Before I talk about anything you actually have to pay for, let's consider what you can achieve without parting with a single dollar.
I'm going to assume you all lock your doors and close your windows when you go out.
Give yourselves a pat on the back! Now, why do you need to do this? Because you look like you might have something worth stealing.
Don't confirm this.
If you can see that fifty-inch screen from the sidewalk, it may as well be a trophy in a case - close your curtains.
A thief will go for something he/she can actually see over something which might be there.
And if they can see that, they'll know you have more.
Don't advertise your valuables.
Next on our budget home security checklist is an assessment of needs.
Where are you? Living in the city is worse for breaks-ins than the country.
The US has more crime than Canada.
I'm not saying that Canadians should disregard home security, but do you really need a bank-vault door on the front of your house? Excessive security says you've got something worth protecting; there might just be someone curious, determined or crazy enough to try to find out what that is.
Low-tech security tends to be more affordable and doesn't date.
Budget home protection can be as simple and easy as a big, solid dead-bolt sourced from a scrap-heap.
Things like simply making sure the locks on your doors are in good condition, checking the seal on your windows and tightening the screws on any outdoor vents can help.
Basic maintenance is a cornerstone of budget home security.
That said, more hi-tech solutions are cheaper than ever, from fake security cameras to, well, real ones! It's always worth checking to see if your budget can stretch a little further.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind about budget home security is that being cheap where it really counts is a false economy.
Remember that a little outlay can reduce costs in the long run.
Simple things like adding a deadbolt are easy to do and can lower home insurance costs, to say nothing of the trouble of replacing stolen goods.
When thinking about budget home security, think about the long game.
If you can afford the one-time cost, ensuring that your entire home is double-glazed brings myriad benefits.
Trust me, you'll save a surprising amount on central air conditioning in the summer and heating through the winter - to say nothing of the home protection benefits.
As a result, you're stone broke.
If you own a 50-inch plasma screen and your front door opens in a strong breeze, you might as well send out a formal invite to local criminals.
You need some kind of home security, but you're on a shoestring.
Well, budget home security doesn't need to be second-rate or require lots of expert know-how.
Applying a little common sense can make heck of a difference without the need to open your wallet.
Before I talk about anything you actually have to pay for, let's consider what you can achieve without parting with a single dollar.
I'm going to assume you all lock your doors and close your windows when you go out.
Give yourselves a pat on the back! Now, why do you need to do this? Because you look like you might have something worth stealing.
Don't confirm this.
If you can see that fifty-inch screen from the sidewalk, it may as well be a trophy in a case - close your curtains.
A thief will go for something he/she can actually see over something which might be there.
And if they can see that, they'll know you have more.
Don't advertise your valuables.
Next on our budget home security checklist is an assessment of needs.
Where are you? Living in the city is worse for breaks-ins than the country.
The US has more crime than Canada.
I'm not saying that Canadians should disregard home security, but do you really need a bank-vault door on the front of your house? Excessive security says you've got something worth protecting; there might just be someone curious, determined or crazy enough to try to find out what that is.
Low-tech security tends to be more affordable and doesn't date.
Budget home protection can be as simple and easy as a big, solid dead-bolt sourced from a scrap-heap.
Things like simply making sure the locks on your doors are in good condition, checking the seal on your windows and tightening the screws on any outdoor vents can help.
Basic maintenance is a cornerstone of budget home security.
That said, more hi-tech solutions are cheaper than ever, from fake security cameras to, well, real ones! It's always worth checking to see if your budget can stretch a little further.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind about budget home security is that being cheap where it really counts is a false economy.
Remember that a little outlay can reduce costs in the long run.
Simple things like adding a deadbolt are easy to do and can lower home insurance costs, to say nothing of the trouble of replacing stolen goods.
When thinking about budget home security, think about the long game.
If you can afford the one-time cost, ensuring that your entire home is double-glazed brings myriad benefits.
Trust me, you'll save a surprising amount on central air conditioning in the summer and heating through the winter - to say nothing of the home protection benefits.