This post is a continuation from Part 1 on 10 Ideas Under $100 to Protect Yourself From Intruders. Lately, we have gone through 3 ideas to get you started:

1. Securing the locks: starting at $20

2. Deterrent, motion detection lights: approximately $60

3. Install fake cameras, about $35

We will now cover:

4. A safe for your valuable items: from $50

5. Securing from the inside: door openers, $15 to $20

6. Door peephole, about $10

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4. A safe for your valuable items: from $50

Installing a safe at home is not necessarily reserved for people with a lot of valuables. There are models accessible to all, in which you can store your precious jewellery, confidential papers, small electronic equipment or other items.

There are different types of safes available for less than $100:

– the built-in safe:

– it costs from $60;

– as its name suggests, it is built into the wall;

– the free-standing safe:

– it costs from $50, a price that corresponds to the small models;

– it is usually fixed to a wall or to the floor with dowels;

– the security case:

– It costs from $50;

– it is mobile, not fixed to a support, which makes it relatively ineffective in case of theft, but practical in case of disaster: fire, flood, etc.

However, owning a safe does not exempt you from being vigilant:

Never leave your valuables in plain sight. They must not be visible from the outside.

When you acquire a new household appliance or other property, be careful to talk only to people you can trust: you never know who might be listening.

As much as possible, make marks on your appliances, jewellery and other items. This will make the goods more easily recognizable, which may, to some extent, deter thieves. Of course, this technique is not infallible, but it is an extra precaution… And free of charge!

5. Securing from the inside: door openers, $15 to $20

While it is true that burglars tend to prefer empty houses, one study has shown that one out of three burglaries takes place in an occupied dwelling. To limit the risk of burglary when you’re at home, a storm door opener is a simple and economical solution:

Usually made of metal, the door stay is rigid, thicker and stronger than a security chain.

It is easy to install: simply screw it on the wall and on the door.

Once in place, it prevents thieves and aggressors from fully opening your door. This way, even if they manage to force the lock, they will not be able to enter your home.

However, keep in mind that no security device is infallible and remain vigilant:

Do not leave valuables near your front door, on a table for example. Indeed, the door ajar still allows you to pass an arm inside…

Always complete this system with security locks.

6. Door peephole, about $10

Some burglars do not hesitate to ring the bell directly at their victims’ homes. When the victims open the door, the thieves push them violently and enter the house. It is therefore essential to always know who is ringing the doorbell at your home.

While it is easy to check by looking out a window in a house, it is more complicated in an apartment. Hence the interest in installing a peephole:

Discreet and economical, this accessory allows you to see who is ringing in your home, without being seen. Thus, when you do not wish to answer, you can make believe that you are absent.

To be effective, it must be installed in the middle of the width of the door. This will give you the widest possible viewing angle.

Also, be careful to place your peephole at a height accessible to everyone in your home. Children, in particular, must be able to use it.

Always measure the thickness of your door before you buy, so that you know which model to choose.

The peephole is easy to install: drill a hole in your door with the same diameter as the peephole.

Then screw it to the door with a screwdriver.

The 3^rd of “the other good ideas for less than $100 to protect yourself from intruders” will be coming soon this week itself. Stay posted, and don’t forget to share and comment.