Uncertain Economy Spurs Increase in Sales of Safes and Home Security Systems

Although many retailers are seeing a significant drop in sales as Americans attempt to reign in their expenses in this uncertain economy, home security and residential safe manufacturers are witnessing an increase in sales activities.
Many homeowners are citing the fear of increasing burglaries and thefts as the reason for purchasing a safe.
In addition, news of failing banks is prompting many Americans to contemplate storing funds within their homes.
Fearing the worst in economic collapse, consumers are disregarding the FDIC insurance provided by most banks, and stashing their cash at home.
Many safe retailers are seeing sales increases of 50 percent, and some as high as 300 to 400 percent.
However, manufacturers warn that safes are not always burglar-proof.
Many safes may advertise that they are fire proof, but a thief can simply turn it on its side to access the contents.
Consumers are encouraged to do their research prior to buying a safe for cash, jewelry, valuables, and guns.
Even when compared to the scare of Y2K and 9/11, retailers claim this season's business dwarfs that of prior crises.
Home security system companies are also experiencing sales increasing as high as 20 percent this season.
Consumers fear that with the rising unemployment rate, holidays around the corner, and stale credit extensions, that some will resort to the worst scenario and attempt to steal valuables and cash from others.
Even those who purchase a quality safe need to consider installing a home security system.
If the wrong people are paying attention to what your family has been doing, the knowledge of a new safe delivered to your home sets off many alarms in a wrongdoer's mind.
They now know you are storing valuables in your home, and may attempt to break into the equipment when you are gone, or steal the entire safe altogether.
Families storing guns in their home for protection are urged to exercise extra caution.
Even purchasing a qualified firearms safe to keep children and others away from the guns is not a fool-proof precaution.
Those who obtain guns for home protection need to remember that the guns do not keep thieves away when they are not home.
Installing a quality home security system with 24/7 monitoring equally protects you when home or away.
Burglaries, fire, and carbon monoxide may all be monitored by a third party, who will dispatch the proper authorities should an alarm sound when you are not home.
Safes may provide an added measure of protection for your valuables, but consumers are urged to never accept them as a substitute to proper monitoring of your property.
Many systems and service plans may be purchased and subscribed to for much less than the cost of a quality safe.
Prior to withdrawing all funds from a banking institution, consumers are encouraged to inquire about the status of FDIC insurance and how it affects their accounts.
Most will be completely protected in the custody of the bank, though customers have the right to educate themselves about their protection levels and exposure.