Protect Your Family
This may initially seem like a concept that does not directly impact your life. However, as we go further and further into this recession, many people will resort to crime. This is one unfortunate circumstance of tough economic times so it is a good idea to prepare for it rather than try to deny its existence. The most common areas of concern for you and your family will be regarding theft.
Identity Theft Protection
Everyone is familiar with the more garden variety form where items are actually physically taken; however, people are less familiar with identity theft. This form tends to be more vicious because criminals can gain access to your money and potentially ruin your debt scores. For this reason, you want to be vigilant in protecting yourself here. One of the best ways to do this is to use services like LifeLock, Trusted ID, Debix, or Identity Guard which can help monitor and protect your personal information. These services provide a great peace of mind in the near future when identity theft will be on the rise. In addition, they free you up to focus on your more day to day activities.
Vehicle Theft Protection
Beyond taking safety measures for identity theft, you should also take steps to protect yourself against “physical” theft and burglary. Historically, popular advice has included carrying firearms and avoiding high risk situations. However, we suggest you go a step further and carry a heightened level of awareness for theft. In this way, you should take steps to safeguard vehicles and property. For example, add Lojack or CarDefender systems to your vehicles and divide up valuables in several locations to minimize risk of burglary.
Home Protection
For home protection, consider adding reinforced windows to homes or businesses. Some companies like ShatterGARD offer this service which can effectively deter burglaries. Also, do not be afraid to propose plans to hire police patrols in your area for your community. Depending on the logistics of your community, some communities have been able to dramatically reduce the level of crime and specifically theft there. Although these services generally aren’t cheap, you can normally find a reasonable cost for these services when you share the cost with others in the community. Another advantage of these programs is that reduced crime leads to improved property values. This is something most homeowners should be interested in during the recession where the real estate market will see in downturn in many parts of the country.
With all this said, it is definitely a good idea to consider making a small investment in your protection. Spending a little money on protecting your family and property now can go a long way towards avoiding becoming a victim of theft or burglary later.