Going on Vacation? Make Sure Your Home Is Secure
It can be hard to relax on vacation if you’re worried about what’s going on back home. But a few simple measures can help properly secure your house and give you the peace of mind you need to enjoy your time away.
Hold mail and deliveries. — The U.S. Postal Service makes it easy to put a temporary hold on your mail. And don’t forget to suspend newspaper and other recurring deliveries, like Amazon subscriptions.
Make it look like you’re home. — Use automatic timers for indoor lights and maybe a TV or two. And keep some curtains open; closed curtains suggest that you’re away and give criminals more cover.
Recruit a friend or neighbor. — Ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for unexpected deliveries and park their car in your driveway from time to time. If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, arrange for someone to mow your lawn.
Freeze your social posts. — Don’t announce your travels on social media, and wait to share pictures until you’re back home. Burglars are increasingly scouring social networks for victims. Check your social network settings, too, so you’re not auto-tagged in pictures by your travel companions.
Monitor from afar. — From cameras and sensors to remote monitoring and notifications, there are numerous options for added protection. Some home security systems can even send you an alert when someone’s at your door.
Secure your valuables. — Before you go, make an indoor sweep and lock up sensitive financial statements, jewelry, laptops and other valuables for additional security and peace of mind.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to give your financial institutions a heads-up about your travel plans. A stream of out-of-state or out-of-country charges could prompt an unnecessary alert that puts a hold on your account.
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