Technology is now smarter and cheaper than ever
Home security is a big deal, yet many from the younger generation don’t treat it as so. In 2015, we had a property crime committed every 4 seconds in America. That’s a lot of burglaries.
If you think this only happens in lower-class communities — think again. Most thieves are staking out homes in more prominent neighborhoods (after all, these likely have bigger cashouts).
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Needless to say, you don’t want to be among the 20.5% of 18 to 29 year olds without any form of home security. So let’s take a look at the best DIY home security gadgets to upgrade your home security without crushing your bank account.
Smart Locks (No Worries Of Duplicate Keys)
Are you one of those families who places a key under a fake rock or rug on the front porch? Then you’re already at a high risk of having your home burglarized.
Whether you do this or not, having a smart lock is one of the best DIY home security gadgets to eradicate the risks associated with keys. Having one will ensure you and your family can get inside (even when they left the keys on the counter). All they need is their smart device to get inside (just tap and enter).
A smart lock will also help prevent thieves from picking their way into your home — thanks to the fact there’s no keyhole to fondle. This tech will also alert you if the door is left ajar and it keeps a log of everyone who comes and goes (based on who unlocks the door with their mobile device).
Be on the lookout for smart lock upgrades, which will include energy-efficient WiFi chips.
Taiker Alarms (To Scare The Heck Out Of Burglars)
You don’t have enough to afford an alarm system, and you might’ve forgotten to get security decals for your windows to ward off thieves.
If that’s the case, then you can leave a surprise for burglars using Taiker Alarms. These small devices will make a loud noise that’ll scare the pants off the intruder (and, hopefully, alert your neighbors). They do require someone to push them, so you can place them in every room of the house.
SABRE Shed and Garage Alarm (An Affordable Hack)
Sure, some burglars may try to break into your shed or gain entrance into your home through the garage. While the SABRE alarm is ideal for these situations, it’s not the only scenario you can use it for.
You’ll find some people using it as a cheap way to secure their homes. You can add it to any door in the house, and you can arm and disarm it the same way you would any house alarm — using a four-digit code.
As for the sound it creates, you can pick between chime or alarm. In other words, if you want to deter children or siblings from entering a room, you could use chime. Then if you want to scare away a burglar, set it to alarm mode. This will blurt out a screeching sound at 120 dB.
The downside is there’s no remote monitoring.
Smart Bulbs (To Illuminate Nefarious Behaviors)
Growing up, you’ve likely come across neighbors who had bright lights turn on when you cross their lawns at night. Now, there are smarter technologies that operate similarly — smart bulbs.
Wyze Bulb is an upgrade to the motion detector floodlights. This device connects to Wi-Fi and allows you to control it using the Wyze mobile app.
With this set up, you’ll be able to set the time and days you want the light to turn on. Adding this to your security arsenal isn’t expensive either — it’s under $20 for one bulb and around $30 for four.
Ring Video Doorbell (Know Who’s Knockin’)
Your doorbell is a convenience for you and your visitors. You hear right away when guests arrive, and your visitors don’t have to get blisters trying to make their knocks heard.
The only problem with traditional doorbells is that they’re — well — dumb. Without a peephole, you won’t know who’s trying to come inside.
If it’s the dead of night, you may not want to venture all the way to the door to peer outside the window to see who’s ringing the bell. With the Ring Video Doorbell, you won’t have to.
This comes with a 1080p camera that activates whenever someone approaches your door. Then you’ll receive an alert on your mobile phone (Android or iOS) with the video feed.
The video service is free; however, if you want to save footage, then you’ll have to sign up for the Ring’s cloud service (at a fee, of course).
Doberman Security Window Alarms (For The Tree Climbers)
Thieves will try to get into your home by any means necessary. Whether it requires breaking into a window on the first floor or climbing a tree to reach a balcony on the second floor.
If you don’t plan to subscribe to an alarm system service, then the next best option is to install Doberman Security Window Alarms throughout your home.
You just attach them to your windows, and once triggered, it’ll sound a 100 dB alarm. Although they’re not “smart,” they do come with an on-off switch. Just click them on before you head to bed and whenever you leave the house.
Turn a Smartphone Into a Security Camera (For The Phone Collecting Dust)
We couldn’t leave this article without mentioning one of the cheapest methods of all—using a smartphone as a security camera.
Since most people are tied to their devices, you should choose one that you no longer use for this purpose. You know, like that outdated smartphone you have in your closet collecting dust? You can do this with both Android and iOS smartphones.
So if you can find the dusty phone or tablet in your wardrobe, dust it off and then use the following steps to set it up:
- Install the security camera app called Alfred on your current phone and old device (works on iOS and Android).
- On your current phone, complete the introduction (just swipe through).
- Select Viewer and click Next.
- Sign into your Google account (required).
- On your old phone, do the same thing, but this time click Camera instead of Viewer.
If you have an iOS device, then you can set the camera to begin rolling using motion detection. Just be sure to choose either the front or rear camera and enable (or disable) the audio.
You can do the same thing on Android, but you have the additional options to:
- Enable continuous focus.
- Activate the app upon turning on when the device reboots.
- Set the resolution.
- Create a passcode lock.
Now, you can see what’s going on in your home wherever you are (as long as you have your smartphone).
Beef Up Security In Your Home For Cheap
Technology isn’t what it used to be. For one, it’s getting smarter and cheaper — always a great combination.
For this reason, there’s no excuse not to use any of these DIY home security gadgets to enhance the security in your home.
With these cheap tech ideas, you can have your home booby-trapped for burglars for less than what you’d spend on an annual subscription for an alarm system.
