Ten Home Security Tricks for Ten Dollars or Less

No matter what you've heard, it doesn't cost a fortune to make your home a little bit safer.
There are dozens of ways to get some bang for your buck when it comes to home security.
Try starting with these ten simple, and affordable, burglar deterrents.
10.
Pick up the lawn.
Easy to do right now and entirely free, picking up all tools, toys and other items off the lawn can make any home a whole lot safer.
Why? Basically, the majority of home invasions are crimes of opportunity, and a ladder or hammer left out for a burglar to use creates that opportunity! Don't help out by lending a hand! Pick up your stuff for good home security.
9.
Trim the bushes.
Again, at no cost but a little bit of time some weekend afternoon, trimming down the bushes around the house can greatly deter any burglar.
Big, unkempt bushes provide lots of room to hide, and make it easy to spend time on figuring out a way into lower story doors and windows.
Give better visibility from the street, and therefore more room for a thief to be spotted by neighbors and passersby! 8.
Safety sticks.
If there are any patio doors leading to the exterior of the home, invest in simple and cheap dowels to be placed in the track and keep the doors from being easily slid open by an intruder.
7.
Get a dog dish.
Of course getting a dog costs more than ten bucks, but a dog dish can be picked up for a few dollars and kept out on the front or back stoop.
Even if the potential intruder doesn't see a dog, a dog dish is a good sign that there will be trouble trying to get inside, and works as an excellent deterrent.
6.
Plant something prickly.
Replacing bushes that hide burglars with thorny, prickly and unforgiving plants like holly, roses or even cacti is a simple and affordable home security trick! 5.
Padlock the spare key.
If you use a spare key and keep it somewhere outside the house, it can make breaking in as easy as unlocking the front door.
Put a simple padlock on whatever container the spare is kept in to create an easy burglar deterrent.
4.
Install a peephole.
With little more than a drill and the hardware, a peephole, which can be ordered online for $5 to $10 dollars, anyone can make a big security improvement.
Knowing who is ringing the bell before opening the door is imperative to preventing those who might enter by force or simply walk in pretending to be a delivery person or utility worker.
3.
Install motion detector lighting.
For less than $10 it's easy to find a wide range of motion detector lights online.
With easy, DIY installation on the exterior of the home, any home can instantly be ten times more protected than before.
2.
Internal timers.
Setting electronics like the television or radio on a timer to go on and off while you are away either in the evenings or during the day can keep burglars thinking someone's at home 24/7.
1.
Invest in signage.
Just the sign on the lawn that says a home is protected by a home security system can reduce the chance of a break in.
In fact, it's three times less likely that a burglary will be suffered.
Go online and order a sign of your own to keep burglars at bay.