The following is a guest post by Thousandaire reader Aimee McNitt, who blogs over at PersonalBudgeting.com
Make no mistake, I love my stuff. My husband Scott and I have worked hard – Scott has, anyway – and stretched our budget (that’s where I come in) to be able to buy the things we want. His laptop, the video game system for the children and my jewelry cost us a bundle, and we make sure we enjoy them. It’s also why we can’t stand the thought of someone taking our stuff while we’re at the beach or on a cruise ship.
It’s a legitimate worry. There were nearly 2.2 million burglaries in the U.S. in 2011, according to the FBI’s latest crime report, with an average loss of $2,185. While break-ins typically are covered as part of a standard home insurance policy, they still carry a cost. Claims tied to break-ins are part of the reason home insurance premiums are on the rise. The annual cost increased 19% nationally in 2011 to $810, according to HomeInsurance.com.
Furthermore, burglaries peak each year during July and August, the prime months for summer vacations. That’s because criminals are lazy – they want to enter your house when you’re not there, and they’ll look for signs you’re gone. Scott and I know that, so we take special care to make sure that our place doesn’t catch the attention of crooks. Here are some ways we do it:
Don’t be a Stooge: Use Mow, Blurry and Leery
• Make sure your lawn is well-manicured.
Even if you’re only going to be gone a week, mow it just before leaving. You’d be surprised how quickly the grass will grow during the summer, and nothing says the owner is away louder than an unkempt lawn.
• Don’t give criminals a clear look.
Make sure the blinds are closed so any view criminals have of the interior of your house will be blurry.
• Keep burglars wary.
I called criminals lazy already. They’re also cowards. If someone’s home or if you have a home security system, they’ll often bypass you for an easier mark. Even just having security system decals on your windows or signs in your yard can make them leery of choosing your place.
The lights are on, but no one’s home
There are other ways to make sure criminals don’t notice that your house is empty for a week or more. Set a timer to make lights come on at night, and leave a television or radio playing so there will be some noise in the house, too.
Have nosy neighbors? Now’s the time to use them. Tell them you’ll be gone and ask them to keep an eye on the house. They watch it anyway, but at least you can reap the benefits of their snooping. You also can get great service from a trusted neighbor. Give him or her a key, and ask whether the person will keep your mail from piling up in the box. If you still take the newspaper – I canceled mine to save a few bucks because I could access everything online – have the neighbor bring it in every day. Nothing screams “Owners aren’t home” louder than a stack of newspapers in the driveway.
What if it doesn’t work?
Despite every precaution, someone might take a chance and break in. Here’s where planning comes into play. Your home insurance company likely has recommended you maintain a home inventory – a glorified listing of everything you own, complete with photos, serial numbers and receipts when possible. It will help you get reimbursed quicker. Among the most common targets of burglars are electronics, jewelry, cash, guns and tools.
But there’s one other thing you should make sure you protect, and you might forget about it. Chris and I take great care to make sure our identities stay safe. How? Whenever we leave the house, but especially for vacation, we power down our computer. It’s password-protected, so personal info on it stays safe. We also never leave any credit card bills, bank statements or blank checks around. Again, nothing is perfect. If you suspect your identity has been pilfered, the Federal Trade Commission also has a list of steps you should take.
You can’t depend on good fortune
Don’t count on being lucky. We have a plan to stay protected, and you should have one, too. Don’t be too scared to leave home, but keep yourself from becoming a target when you do. It will save you time and money, and it will allow you to enjoy your hard-earned vacations without worrying about scumbags taking your stuff.
Kevin’s Take: Now that I have a house I’m 1000% more worried about someone breaking in my house. I have a security system but I feel like I need to do more. I love that this post gives me tips to make my house and my stuff safer without spending extra money! Thanks Aimee!
About Aimee McNitt
Aimee McNitt is a regular contributor to PersonalBudgeting.com. She and husband Scott have three wonderful children, two dogs, one income and zero margin for financial error. To make their personal finances work, Aimee has become an expert at finding deals, stretching a dollar and finding simple ways to earn extra income.
My best security system also happens to be my best friend (my pitbull Ruby). Although she’s sweet as can be and hides behind me when she gets scared, one look at her people don’t even consider breaking in. I had a Shepard before her and have lived in my home, with forgetting to lock my doors some nights, for 17 years with no problems at all. Dogs are great deterrents.
We are looking at getting a dog soon, probably a German Shepard or something similar. As soon as the floors are complete in our house we will be getting that dog!
Check with your homeowners insurance. Some companies won’t insure you if you have an “aggressive” breed or your rate will go way up. While I think that is a bunch of stuff, they have their claims histories showing the number of claims due to dog bites.
You can’t really see my dog since her kennel is in a corner not visible from any window, but she barks loud (like a much larger dog) and that is enough to keep some people away (and she is just a little Japanese Chin Mix).
It’s funny because I could never convince my wife to close the blinds at night for the longest time. If I didn’t do it, she wouldn’t, saying that she didn’t like coming downstairs in the morning to everything being dark. Then we had reports in the neighborhood of people looking in windows, and a couple of attempted break-ins, all with people who hadn’t closed their blinds. Since then, my wife makes sure they’re closed every night!
AImee and Kevin,
Neighbors and dogs make for a great security system. Yes, dogs have long-terms costs. But for security and pet loyalty, they’re tops. Getting a neighborhood teenager — whom you can trust — to dog and/or house sit can be a money saver.
-Christian L. @ Smart Military Money
Great article, clear and to the point. Thanks for this!
An important point to consider about identity theft and computers:
Password protecting your login does not protect or encrypt your data. Your burglar can simply snatch your computer. Then at his leisure he can hookup your hard drive to another system to get all its contents.
If you are interested in protecting your data or have super sensitive info you may want to look into encrypting your hard drive. This will ensure that if the hard drive is ever removed from it’s current hardware the data will be inaccessible.
Thought this would be relevant considering how much of our lives is on our computers! In fact, these days I scan nearly all my important documents and shred the paper. Soooo I would be pretty screwed if somebody took my stuff 🙁
These are great pieces of information that people overlook. It is easy to get comfortable and not think of these details. These minor things can save a lot of major headaches!
What a great article! It is so easy to get comfortable and forget about simple ways to protect your home! Thanks for sharing!
Ever since we moved into our house 3 years ago, we haven’t gone on long vacation yet. It’s because I’m afraid that burglars might break in when they learn that no one is around. I will consider all the tips you have provided and plan our summer vacation too!
Some of these tips, my family uses even when we just go out for the night. Better safe than sorry. We always leave multiple exterior lights on, as well as a lamp or two that is noticeable from the street. Then we close the blinds in the front of the house so no one is looking in. Obviously, if someone has the intention of breaking in, there is always a way to do it, but at least you can try to prevent them from giving it a shot.
Great tips! I try t get someone to stay in my home while away, mow the lawns and make it look lived in. I have neighbours on the look out too. Despite that, things do happen. I got robbed recently and the photos really helped pushed my claim through. I am now photographing everything I own, keeping receipts of all purchases etc. Just in case.