It's the time of year when people get away from it all - and crooks sometimes get away with they're stuff.
Want a stress free vacation? Then button down your house. Have your neighbor pick up your mail and newspaper. Use timers to keep the lights on, keep the lawn mowed and plan ahead. Don't leave this stuff till the last minute.
If you're going to leave your key in an obvious place, you might as well just leave your house unlocked. And if you insist on putting your key under a doormat, here's an idea. Put it under your neighbor's doormat.
Also leave that trusted neighbor your emergency contact number and ask them to do a few simple things while you're gone.
And avoid the temptation to use social media to tell everyone on the Internet where you are. You want to use your smart phone? Use it to keep an eye on your house.
There are apps that let you use a web cam to see what's going on in your house when nobody's home.
There are some tips you can't leave home without. But I've got more. To find them, just go to MoneyTalksNews.com and search for "KEEPING YOUR HOME SAFE."
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