In our last blog we looked at how you can secure your home on a budget. So now the burglar isn’t going to bother with your property. But what about your car? It’s valuable, it might contain something worth stealing and it’s relatively easy to break into.

What we don’t realise is that car thieves are smart. They earn their living from jacking your vehicle and they know how to do it well. That’s why it’s so difficult to prevent it.

In this blog we’re going to outline 7 ways to better secure your car from pesky thieves.

Lock your car – You’re probably reading this saying ‘duhhhh’ but you’d be surprised at the amount of people who forget to do it. Whether they’re in a rush, they’re just popping into the shop for a minute or they’re just the forgetful type – an unlocked car is asking to be stolen. Always check that you’ve locked it up.

Take your keys – Not too dissimilar to our last point. If you’re nipping into the shop to pick up a paper, it isn’t fine to leave your keys in the ignition. You’re making it far too easy for them.

Park smart – When you’re parking up, asses the location you’re in. Is it well lit? Is it known for a high crime rate? If you’ve parked your car down a dark and dingy side street there’s a good chance that a thief is going to have a go at breaking in.

Don’t advertise – If you park up and leave your laptop lying on the passenger seat for hours on end I’d bet it isn’t there when you return. Don’t turn your vehicle into a shop window. Thieves do look into cars to see if it’s worth their time. Make sure that they don’t think yours is.

Alarm it – Car thieves love quiet and dark. If you alarm your car and they break in, they’re quickly going to bolt when that ear piercing noise kicks in. It’s a worthy investment for anyone.

Garage – If the car isn’t out on the street, it won’t be seen by thieves. Purchase or hire a garage space and leave your car in there over night. Make sure you implement security measures on the garage too.

Invest in a steering wheel lock – If you’re trying to protect your vehicle you need to put plenty of obstacles in the way. A steering wheel lock can be seen from the outside and might just end up being one obstacle too many.

Your home is dear to you, and so ensuring that it’s secure is paramount. The problem is, security systems can be expensive. Most of us can’t afford a detailed, high tech system to protect our home.

Well fear not. In this blog we’re going to look at 5 ways that you can ensure that your house is safe on a budget.

Lights

One of the best ways to deter thieves is to light up your home. It’s relatively inexpensive to do too. If you purchase motion sensor lights then any time someone approaches the building at night, on the light will pop.

What burglar likes to be illuminated as they work?

Garden

I always recommend keeping your hedges and tress cut back. These are a great hidey hole for approaching thieves.

Make sure you give them nowhere to hide.

Windows

Windows are probably the most popular entry point for burglars. Alarming your windows though, can be expensive.

Well there is a cheaper alternative.

There are glass break detectors on the market that detect vibrations on the glass and then emit a high pitched alarm. Alerting you to what’s going on.

Fencing

A lot of burglars prey on easy access buildings. This is why setting a perimeter with a fence is a must. At least in your back yard. Thieves don’t like have to scale obstacles, so set as many as you can for them.

Leave the light on

Heading out for the evening? Then leave a bedroom or front light on. Yes, it might push your electricity bill up a little bit but it’ll almost certainly deter unwanted visitors. No thief wants to break into a building that they think is occupied.

They’re not that stupid.

Love thy neighbour

Make friends with your neighbours. They’ll be able to keep an eye on your property whilst you’re on holiday or away on business. It’s always good to know that someone has their eye on your property. Remember though, you should do the same for them.

Don’t advertise

It might be tempting to show off your brand new plasma screen TV in the front window but I’d bet it’d soon go missing. Keep all your valuables out of sight. Thieves walk the streets looking into houses like they’re shop windows. Don’t make them want to come in.

So there you go 7 ways to protect your home without having to break the bank. Just try and think from a burglar’s perspective. How would you break into your own property?