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With the holidays just around the corner, you don’t to come home and find that a real life Grinch has
stolen Christmas … and everything else in your house. Though this is traditionally a season of love and
sharing, you don’t want to give away your most valuable possessions to Christmas thieves. Consider
these tips for affordable home security solutions that will allow you to have a happy holiday with peace
on earth … and of mind.
Lock down. Though it may seem like common sense, many people don’t lock their doors when they’re
not at home, even in urban areas. Often it’s because they planned to be “right back” or because “I was
just going to the store for a minute!” That minute is all it takes for a crafty burglar to walk into your
unguarded, unlocked home and ransack it, making off with all this year’s Christmas presents. Make sure
that your doors are locked and that the locks are in solid working condition. Test the locks especially if
you live in a colder climate and make sure they are maintained.
Lights on! Thieves can often be fooled if you leave the lights on while you’re away. Take advantage
of the holiday season by leaving your Christmas tree all lit up. Even running the television or radio
gives the illusion that someone is home after all. If you don’t feel comfortable with “wasting” all that
electricity, set your lights on a timer.
Alarms. If you’re on a holiday budget, you can usually find inexpensive alarms at the grocery store for
under fifty dollars. This type of alarm uses a magnetic connection that creates a loud warning sound
when the connection is broken, and is perfect for doors and windows.
Do you know where your keys are? Many people don’t think twice about handing out keys like candy,
especially to guests who may be making an extra-long holiday stay at your casa. Make sure that you
keep track of who has your extra keys, and collect them when the season is over. Also avoid hiding
keys outside in what you may think is a tricky spot. Thieves are usually very good about deciphering
your hiding places like the rock outside, or under your doormat. If you plan to be gone for the holiday
yourself, leave a key with a neighbor or nearby friend.
Good doggie! Make the yuletide merrier by introducing a new member of the family. A good guard
dog will scare away potential intruders with a well-time bark or growl. If you do plan on bringing
home a new dog for the holidays, be certain to review different breeds, as some guard dogs are more
compatible for families with children.
You can always ask a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your place while you’re gone for the holidays.
If you plan on installing a security system, read a few online home security system reviews before
making any big decisions. Make sure your home is secure this holiday season. You’d actually like the
chance to play with those toys, wouldn’t you?
Home Sweet Home is a phrase that you should be able to use even when you’re away from home. Increasing theft, vandalism and break-ins have resulted in most of us getting paranoid about the safety of our home. This increasing trend has snatched the peace of mind from you, and, like everyone else, I’m sure you’re wondering what you could do to restore that peace of mind. Simple: Prevent attacks on your house by equipping yourself with a webcam software like GotoCamera.
Our little neighborhood has just gotten a neighborhood watch program going. Apparently people have been casing our street. Such a shame that people would do this to each other. Great tips Sam. I think our next step will be to get a home security system.
My dogs are my security system. I have a few signs up and they don’t let anyone get within a foot of our front door. Sometimes it’s annoying but I often glad they are there. Thanks for the tips
Funny that we have to even have this discussion…thanks for the reminders.
Thank you for the tips. Even if we have heard some of them, we always need the reminder!!!
My husband made our security system as he thinks most thieves buy the ones on the market to learn how they work so they can break in.
We’ve got it all!
All your advice is helpful. We’ll be moving from a very rural town to the city in a few months…I’m contemplating a security system.
We follow all those tips except for the guard dog but we do have two guard cats. Not sure how much protection they would be.
we got our sytem a few years back, woudln’t think about not having one anymore. I like how it has the emergency buttons right on the panel, so if say, a fire or someone was really hurt, you’d just press that instead of tyring to worry about calling and dialing a numebr!
Great tips!