What are you willing to pay to keep your home and family safe? Are you finding out that the price tags on major home security systems out of your range? Are you interested in a cheaper solution? There are some great alternatives that you can use. Read on to uncover some great home security ideas to suit virtually any budget.

Hiding places for spare keys must be chosen with extreme care and caution. Under the doormat or above the door frame are all too common spaces that will be checked first by potential intruders. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

Always make your house appear to be occupied. You can buy timers to have radios, TVs, lights and other electronics go off and on at different times. This way, it will appear that you are at home. This will help to deter burglars.

If you have a lot of unfamiliar people on you social networking accounts, avoid letting everyone know you will be going on vacation. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

It is always best to not let people in that just show up out of the blue. Do not give in, even if a person uses a convincing story, asks for help or says they are selling something. Some criminals will use any reason to gain access to look for security systems and easy entryways into your house.

Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. This is a good way to keep track of where your young children are.

Lock your home at all times to err on the side of caution. You may be surprised to know that many burglars simply turn the doorknob and walk right in. It won’t take long for thieves to steal lots of expensive valuables.

If you’ve bought large or pricy items, avoid throwing out boxes until the day the trash is scheduled for pick-up. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.

When in the process of purchasing a home-security system, be sure to comparison shop. The prices can vary a great deal for the same level of protection from company to company. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.

Just moved in? Time for new locks! Regardless of how trustworthy you consider the last owners to be, neither you nor they can be sure that there aren’t others out there with keys to those locks. Remember that other families may have lived there before that person as well.

Your first priority when you move to an apartment or house where others have lived in before is to replace all the locks. They previous occupants may have made copies of the keys. It’s easy to install locks, so you can just purchase them at the home improvement store and swap them out to be sure you have the only keys.

Motion-sensor lights can alert you of a robbery before it even happens. These lights turn on if someone walks closely to your house. These lights will not only let you know when someone gets too close, they will also stop potential burglars from breaking in. After all, burglars don’t want anyone to know they are there. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.

When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This proves rather dangerous for both your family and also your valuables. You want to use caution to prevent danger.

Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars love to operate in the dark. Be sure all vulnerable exterior areas of your home are equipped with good lighting. Don’t forget that this includes ground-level windows as well as doors, garages, and porches.

Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

If you are going on a vacation, ask a neighbor to pick up your mail and check your home for flyers. Burglars often put fliers on the door to see if the owner removes them. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

Ask the security company about various contract lengths. There are of course pros and cons for each contract. Long contracts are cheaper every month, but can outlast your stay in the home. A short contract will avoid this, but may be more costly.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. This will help to keep your family safe.

If you aren’t at the house, keep the windows and curtains closed. You don’t want potential thieves knowing you are gone. You do not want any part of your home visible to the public. Intruders will break in if they see an item they want. Keep them down when you’re asleep, too.

You can only do what’s affordable when it comes to home security. If you are unable to afford the costlier options, you can employ several less expensive solutions. This article should have presented a number of tips that you can use to make your home more secure. Included were some great tips to help you defend your home and save you the most money in the process.

Be certain the wires to your home security system are neither visible nor accessible. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. Never make things easy for them. Ask the person installing it to bury the wires or hide them inside the walls. This can make you safer.