21+ Ways To Keep Your Home Safe On A Budget

What It Does: Reinforces locks and door handles
Avg. Cost: $0.12/screw*

Making sure that the door hinges of one’s home are as securely in place as possible is a great way to deter would-be thieves. Switching out shorter screws for longer ones ensures that the integrity of the hinges will not give in as easily when pressed. And by the way, it’s incredibly cheap and easy to do. 

Replace Screws On Door Hinges With Longer Ones @jamieharrington/Pinterest

All that’s needed are a couple of 3-inch screws and a screwdriver (manual or electric). A 1-pound box of 3-inch screws goes for only $8.97 at Home Depot. That means that every door in the house can be reinforced, and there’d still be a few screws left over as backups.

What It Does: Prevents doors/windows from opening easily
Avg. Cost: $1.30*

Home invaders commonly target homes with glass back doors, or ones that have easily accessible windows, because they tend to pose less of a challenge than ones that are not on tracks. But there’s a simple way to change that… 

Leave A Dowel In Your Sliding Glass Door Tracks @worstroom/Pinterest

Keeping one’s home safe can be as simple as buying a pack of 12 wooden dowels from Walmart for $15.71 and placing them into each of the window and door tracks around one’s abode. This way, when a burglar attempts to slide one of them open, in order to take a few things that don’t belong to them, the only thing they’ll be leaving with, is the disappointment of going home empty-handed. 

What It Does: Prevents car theft
Avg. Cost: Free

The home security hacks that should come as common sense are usually the ones that are neglected the most. A lot of people like to keep their car keys on a hook (or in a bowl) just inside the front door, but that is a bad idea. On the off chance that someone does successfully break into one’s home, they wouldn’t have to look very far for the keys to their getaway car. 

Don't Leave Car Keys Near The Garage At Night @littlethingscom/Pinterest

Don’t make the thief’s job any easier for them. By simply moving one’s car keys to a drawer in the kitchen, or keeping them on the bedside table, the security level of the keys would be increased tenfold.

What It Does: Deters intruders
Avg. Cost: $26.71*

Anyone who might be concerned about the possibility of their humble abode being the target of a home theft at the hands of crooks similar to the “Wet Bandits”, should look into getting motion detector lights and placing them near each of their home’s entrances.

Invest In Motion Detector Lighting @family_handyman/Pinterest

Being caught in a spotlight, probably, isn’t what a home invader would have had in mind when making their master plan, so why not disrupt that plan of theirs? Amazon has a wide range of motion sensor lights to choose from, including Lepro’s 20W and LOFTer’s 30W, both of which are under $30 before tax.

What It Does: Deters thieves
Avg. Cost: $20-$25*

As far as keeping one’s home safe from would-be intruders is concerned, more often than not, appearing to have a well-secured and surveilled house is usually enough. Some people have been known to install fake security cameras around their homes, but putting a sign from a security company on the lawn is a much cheaper tactic that’s equally (if not more) efficient.

Put Up A Home Security Sign ©Brian Lam/Shutterstock.com

It doesn’t even need to be a real security company, as long as the sign looks official enough, of course. Most thieves would, probably, think twice before breaking into a home that appears to have a security system in place. 

What It Does: Keeps spare keys safe
Avg. Cost: $15-$35*

Before attempting to jimmy the lock of the front door to a house, anyone who grew up watching cartoons, or almost any kids show for that matter, would know to first check under the doormat for a spare key. Instead of becoming another victim of the cliché hiding spot, try using a key lockbox.

Keep Spare Keys In Lockboxes (Not Under The Mat) @rosesmithwill/Pinterest

The lockboxes could be found for as low as $15-$20 each, but when it comes to home security, even if it is a hack, why not spend the extra ten bucks on making sure the spare keys are still there when we need them, along with everything else in the house, of course.

What It Does: Identifies visitors
Avg. Cost: $6-$80*

If you’ve been hearing creepy sounds outside, but you live alone and are too afraid to open the door in order to see who (or what) is out there, as an alternative to looking through the blinds or peeking through curtains – both of which would draw a lot of unwanted attention – perhaps, it would be a good idea to start thinking about having peepholes installed in all the doors that have access to the outside.

Install Peepholes In Exterior Doors ©David Papazian/Shutterstock.com

The wide range in cost for a peephole comes down to whether someone is hired to do the installation or if the homeowner decides to undertake the task themselves. Peepholes can be found at most hardware stores, including Lowe’s where they sell for as low s $6 each. 

What It Does: Creates the illusion of security
Avg. Cost: $8-$15 (for keeping up appearances)*

There have been several stories over the years of home invaders getting mauled by someone’s guard dog. As a result, a “Beware of Dog” sign has become an incredible deterrent for those who might have been thinking of partaking in a little breaking and entering, even if there is no dog.

Make It Seem Like You Have A Guard Dog (Or Get One) ©Page Light Studios/Shutterstock.com

Target usually has a good selection to pick from starting at around $8. That seems like a very small price to pay, especially, if that’s all it takes to keep an intruder away. Of course, that price might be significantly higher if you decide to go with the living, breathing option instead.

What It Does: Secures windows
Avg. Cost: $2.50*

Installing locks on the windows of one’s house is a sure-fire way to deter burglars from using them as entrances. While intricate locks will surely give a homeowner more of a sense of security, all that’s needed to stop most windows from opening is a simple pin lock.

Install a Pin Lock On Windows @family_handyman/Pinterest

This is one hack that even a novice handyperson is fully capable of putting into action. A quick zip-zap with a power drill in order to make a tunnel wide enough for a window pin to go through, about $2.50 for each pin lock, and a little bit of know-how and you’ve got yourself far fewer points of entry for a home intruder. 

What It Does: Protects mail
Avg. Cost: $30-$100*

Mail theft is a problem for which there is a simple resolution – investing in a more secure mailbox. Parcel theft is a whole other story, but if the concern is that someone has been stealing letters or USPS package pick-up slips, then a letterbox with a lock is the solution.

Invest In A Secure Mailbox ©amazon

A secure mailbox, that only homeowners have the key for, can be purchased for as low as $30 and is quite easy to install. Get a more secure home for your incoming mail and stop having all of those Domino’s Pizza coupons stolen by neighborhood hooligans.

What It Does: Creates a secure presence
Avg. Cost: Free

One of the best ways to ensure that one’s home remains safe and secure without anyone getting hurt is through non-confrontational deterrence. And one of the best means of non-confrontational deterrence is having people visible around the neighborhood at all times. Or, at least, during the time of the evening when more crimes are generally committed.

Join Your Neighborhood Watch ©Evgeny Murtola/Shutterstock.com

Neighborhood watches have been effective in deterring crime in cities all over the world since they first came to be back in the mid-‘60s. If you don’t have the time to join the watch yourself, you could always donate to their cause by bringing them some hot coffee from Starbucks on a chilly evening.

What It Does: Reinforces deadbolts
Avg. Cost: $15*

After a burglar has been unsuccessful in their attempt to find a window or door that hasn’t been closed or locked properly, if they are the type of crook that doesn’t take no for an answer, they’ll probably try to enter through one of the doors through the use of force.

Install Deadbolt Protection Devices @LeyactOfficial/Pinterest

This is where a door reinforcement lock would come in handy. They’re usually used as child safety mechanisms for doors, however, each one of them also acts as a deadbolt protection device that allows for the deadbolt to handle more than ten times the amount of force as it would without it.

What It Does: Prevents glass from shattering
Avg. Cost: $23.99*

If a burglar is desperate enough to continue an attempted entry into one’s home, even after they’ve been stopped several times by a variety of home security hacks, there’s a good chance that they’ll eventually resort to breaking one of the windows to gain entry. 

Protect Windows With Security Window Film ©Steve Mann/Shutterstock.com

Window safety film from the reliably well-known multi-national conglomerate, 3M, is available to order through Amazon for under $25/10ft. One layer of the film on the inside part of the window is enough to prevent the glass from shattering. Perhaps, the resulting delay will be enough to hinder the crook’s plan.

What It Does: Prevents break-ins
Avg. Cost: $150*

The quality of one’s home security can increase or decrease considerably depending on the type of doors a house has. Hollow doors might be more convenient for the interior of a house or apartment due to their cheaper nature, but for the entrances, it’s best to go with something a little stronger.

Only Use Hollow Doors For Interiors @thespruceofficial/Pinterest

Due to their fragile nature, using hollow doors for any of the home’s entrances would not be a good idea, no matter how good of a lock one has for their home. They’re easy to break through and usually look like giant targets in the eyes of a thief.