Don’t want to Pay for Security Monitoring?
Check out these 7 low cost Options
It can be intimidating to figure out which kind of home security system is the best option for you and your family. On top of the dozens of alarm system reviews to weave through, home security systems can cost quite the pretty penny. If home security is important to you, but spending your hard earned money on an alarm system isn’t something you are interested in, try out one of these cheap alternatives to a home security system. Though they may not protect your house as well as a security system would, they’ll save you a few extra bucks while keeping your home and family safe. Here are a few cheap alternatives to home security that you should buy.
1 – Jamb Reinforcement Plates
These can turn your average door into a super hero door.
Cost: $22 Buy Here
With just a half-hour of your day and some tools that you probably have hanging out around the home, you can make your doors much sturdier. Simply change out a few of the necessary screws, and plates on your doors for added home security. Because many burglaries occur when the perpetrator uses “brute force” to enter your home, many dead bolts are useless. When paired with a jamb reinforcement plate, your door functions better and your actually dead bolt protects you like it should.
2 – Window Screws and Anchors
Most burglars gain entry to your home by way of a broken window. It’s no secret that glass breaks, but we have a solution that will protect your home even if your window panes do break! The solution is to reinforce your window frame with window anchors and screws. These come affordable at many home improvement stores, and can be installed in only a few hours.
Window screws and anchors work to protect your home (even if the window glass has broken!) by limiting window access to just a few inches. No one can get inside your home if they can’t fit in between the gaps of your window panes! More about protecting your doors and windows here.
3 – Get Familiar With Your Neighborhood
With help of social media & groups, Watch programs are even more effective
One of the most effective ways to reduce the likelihood of a home break-in or robbery is to get familiar with your neighborhood! It’s important to become friends with your neighbors because you instantly create a neighborhood watch program that cannot be beat! Additionally, ask your neighbors to bring in mail or packages when you are out of town. The foot traffic your neighbors create will deter any criminals!
Home owners should also become aware of the trends in activity around the neighborhood, and they should keep an eye out for any unusual happenings! You can never have too many watchful eyes when it comes to the safety and protection of your home. Other online options include looking up Spotcrime maps or use Family Watchdog to identify a neighborhoods crime rate before moving into it.
4 – A Guard (Or Alert!) Dog
Not the lowest cost but great alternative. A more ‘interactive’ security system.
So, a guard dog isn’t necessarily cheap. But because you get a family member and a home alarm system all-in-one, it’s a deal that absolutely cannot be beaten. It’s true that having pets such as dog does create an added expense over time (food, trips to the vet, etc.) but pets are extremely effective in terms of home security. If you are interested in a guard dog, we recommend learning more about German Shepards, Akitas, or Rotteweilers. Prospective pet-owners can read up on other great guard dog breeds in this great article from Alarm Reviews.
These three inexpensive things will do wonders when it comes to protecting your home against unwanted burglars! However, below is a list of items that seem like they would be a good idea to keep your home safe, but in all actuality; they’re just a waste of money! If inexpensive home security is important to you, you’ll stay away from the following things:
5 – Security Cameras
This low cost bundle of security cameras + DVR is only $150 with free smartphone access.
Security camera systems are often a purchase once and be done. The initial cost can be pricey but then you don’t pay a maintence fee (assuming you go with a DIY option) or monitoring. You can monitor them from your cell phone such as Swann or ADT cameras. Best of all, these are amazing deterrents. Even if you were to purchase fake ones (which they have) it will dramatically increase the security of your home.
The cons of these is that every 3-5 years they will be outdated and new ones with clearer imaging and bigger DVR storage will be out. Installation can also be a pain depending on your personality type. Installing a DIY security system is much easier. With these camera systems you need to expect to run some chords and do some drilling from your garage to outside.
6 – Shatter Resistant Window Film
Application shown. This will stop your windows from spider webbing and glass falling everywhere.
In many cases, burglars enter the home by way of a broken window. Naturally, many homeowners think that it’s necessary to protect windows of their homes. While this is true, Alarm Reviews recommends doing so without the use of shatter resistant window film. Shatter resistant window films are often advertised as a “cheap alternative to tempered glass” but these films fail to actually provide users with durability for years to come. The “shatter resistant” films are often pretty pricey, and home owners are better off protecting windows with window anchors or screws. They can be acquired cheaply and they’re easy to install!
7 – “Pick” Proof Deadbolts
A burglar already knows he doesn’t have a key to get into your home, they also know that picking a lock is both obvious and time intensive. Pick proof, or “bump” proof deadbolt locks cost home owners a pretty penny, and they’re often useless when it comes to preventing home robbery or burglary. The lock of your door is often not the weakest part, and criminals will fight their way in either way. Did you know that a majority of break-ins across the country happen by brute force? Save yourself some money, and invest in jamb reinforcement plates instead.
Conclusion
While some of the ideas listed in this article are all viable and effective solutions to a home security system, we realize that some people out there would rather just spend the money! If you are interested in cost-effective (and protection-effective!) home security systems, we recommend checking out our comparison tool. It turns out with all the effort they save, it ends up NOT costing your arm and your leg!
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Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.
Jaimi Windergreen says
Wow, you know I’ve never considered shatter resistant window film — in fact, I haven’t actually even heard of it. It’s interesting that we can use this as a cheaper alternative to tempered glass. This is something I will consider as I am currently trying to improving our home security and doing a budget on things.
Kate says
I have been thinking about getting a set of security cameras for my home but I am not excited about spending the money. I hadn’t heard of a Jamb Reinforcement Plate until this article. Has anyone used these? Are they actually helpful or just a peace of mind kind of thing?