Improve Home Security on a Budget

According to ADT Security, a home burglary occurs every 22.6 seconds and takes only minutes to complete. The typical home robbery is over before anyone in the neighborhood notices and they are long gone before police would ever arrive.

Taking defensive measures to protect your home doesn’t have to be as expensive as a whole home security system with a monthly monitoring fee. Implementing these simple tips will greatly increase your home security on a budget.

Statistics show that 55% of burglars enter a home right through the front and back doors! Another 23% enter through a first-floor window. With more than 2/3 of home break-ins at these points, it makes sense to focus your budget on these areas first.

• Install deadbolt locks on exterior doors.

• Use reinforced strike plates for added door frame strength.

• Install window locks and reinforce glass with security film or laminates.

• Use dowels or bars in sliding doors and windows to prevent forced entry.

Choose outdoor motion sensor lights for your residence. Studies have found that the sudden activation of motion sensor lights is more effective than constant-on lighting in crime prevention because of the ‘surprise factor’ it has on the person or animal that triggers the spotlight. The instant activation of porch lights may also alert your neighbors to any suspicious activity occurring around your home.

• Install motion-activated lights around entry points and pathways.

• Consider using solar-powered lights to save on electricity.

By far the greatest deterrent to home invaders is the appearance of someone being home. Most burglars would rather break-in to a home when you are away at work, on vacation or out for dinner.

• Leave your car in the driveway so that your home appears to have residents inside. This will greatly reduce the chance of your home being selected by anyone casing the neighborhood for an easy target.

• Use inexpensive light timers to turn inside lights on and off at variable times to mimic someone going about their normal routine inside the home.

Make your landscaping work for you to increase home security by keeping bushes trimmed and eliminating hiding places for burglars. You can also plant thorny vegetation in the flower beds under your windows to add a layer of security at these vulnerable entry points to your home.

• Trim bushes and shrubs near windows to eliminate hiding spots.

• Keep your yard well-maintained to avoid a vacant appearance.

• Plant roses, holly and other plants with thorns near windows to deter unwanted entry.

The FBI reports, a whopping 83% of burglars check for the presence of a security alarm system before attempting a break-in.

• Display signs indicating your home is protected by a security system, even if you don't have one. Security company signs and window stickers can be purchased for a few dollars even if you are not subscribed to a monthly security service. Placing ADT Security window stickers on your home is sure to send any potential thief searching for an easier home to target for a break-in.

• If your budget allows, opt for affordable wireless security cameras that can be easily installed and monitored via smartphone apps.

• Solar powered security cameras can be purchased on Amazon for less than one hundred dollars and provide you with live feed capability right to your smart phone.

• Even the placement of fake security cameras is an effective and budget friendly option to deter burglars. While you will not capture video of a forced entry if one occurs, the mere fact that security cameras appear to be in operation at your residence makes your home less likely to be targeted.

Closing your blinds when you are not home adds security in two ways. It keeps those passing by from seeing what is inside your home. It also keeps a burglar from being able to see inside and confirm if someone is home before they break in. This is a risk that many robbers will walk away from in favor of a home they are certain is not occupied.

• Use blinds, curtains, or shades to prevent outsiders from seeing inside your home.

• Covered windows create an uncertainty that most home invaders will avoid in favor of a home they are certain is vacant.

Being a member of the neighborhood watch group ensures that you are in the know on any criminal activity in your area.

• Form or join a neighborhood watch group to keep an eye out for each other's homes. It’s totally free and also a great way to form friendships and join together as a community.

• Developing a good relationship with neighbors means they're more likely to keep an eye on your home when you're not around.

The average home robbery is completed in 8-10 minutes. This means that the burglars are looking in the most normal places people keep valuables so that they can grab the goods and get out. Make this difficult for them by being unpredictable and putting obstacles in their way that delay their progress.

Stash your cash in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator or in a stash can. These diversion safes look like everyday products that you would keep in your home except they have a secret compartment to hold valuable items such as jewelry, money and car keys. No burglar is going to figure out that it’s not an ordinary product sitting on your pantry shelf.

If you do have a safe in your home, be sure it is bolted to the floor and locked at all times. Small safes are easily carried off by robbers. Getting lax with locking and unlocking it every time you need something is just human nature, but you don’t want your safe unlocked when a home invasion occurs.

• Keep valuable items out of view from windows.

• Jewelry and cash should be stashed in a diversion safe for easy access by you, but completely hidden from a burglar.

• Invest in a fire proof safe for important documents and small valuables.

• Install a peephole or door camera to see who's outside without opening the door. This will not prevent a home burglary, but it will make your home safer when you are in it.

Although only 9% of home invasions occur by way of the garage, it’s worth your attention to take a few simple steps and secure this vulnerable entry point to your home.

• Keep your garage door down and locked at all times, including when you're home.

• Add a padlock to the garage door track to prevent manual lifting.

• Don’t forget about locking the door from your home into the garage. It is often overlooked because of the false security we have in knowing the garage door is down.

The vast majority of burglars live within 2 miles of the homes that they target and with the help of social media, trolling residents’ activity online has made it easier for them to strategically choose homes that pose less risk of being caught. Unfortunately, sharing your real-time whereabouts online puts you at greater risk of being burglarized.

• Resist sharing dinner, event or vacation plans on social media platforms until you are home from the event.