It’s often said that a person’s home is their castle, but try telling that to a burglar—not to mention the fact that our modern edifices lack the thick stone walls, turrets and drawbridges that secured those specimens of medieval architecture from intrusion. That’s why ensuring security in modern homes takes a lot more than a pot of boiling oil…or, more pertinent, a standard front door deadbolt. Read on to learn a few essential aspects of home protection.

Get a lock on things. While any exterior door should have a lock, simply having one isn’t enough. The reality is that most standard locks do little to deter burglars, who are able to circumvent subpar hardware by lock-picking or simply kicking in the door. Read more

“People wish to be settled. It is only as far as they are unsettled that there is any hope for them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

There’s nothing like a change in perspective to help you see the world anew. And when that change involves getting a new view from your bedroom window, your daily routine is in for some jolts. In other words, whether you’re moving across the country or across the street, moving can be one of the best ways to get re-energized. That said, it can also be a real pain, so here are 31 ways you can minimize the stress of moving while maximizing the adventure.

One month before you move

1. Create a binder.

Read more

Modern consumers are relying on electrical power more than ever—a fact made apparent by the growing prominence of electric vehicles. The problem is that power rates aren’t static; they increase exponentially in proportion to increases in usage. So, if your power bills are out of control, it’s time to seriously consider installing a solar power system on your property.

The exponential correlation between usage and utility rate is something electric vehicle owners are finding out the hard way. Read more

If you’re locked out of your home or car, you might assume that googling “locksmith” or pointing to a random name in the phone book will yield a positive result. However, as it turns out, choosing a locksmith at random is a risky move. According to Gary Lekan, Read more

Listen.

I delete emails from down-and-out Nigerian royalty. Stranded hospital-bound strangers get nothing. And when Bernie Madoff made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, I said, “No way!” Or I would have, if he had…you get the drift. Consequently, it is with great humility (and some shame) that I admit this in a public forum: I got scammed by a locksmith—or more accurately, a con artist posing as a locksmith. Here’s how it happened.

One bright fall morning, I carefully locked all the doors to my house, walked my kids to the bus stop and handed my only house key to my son (who had forgotten his). Read more

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants consumers to beware of telephone sales pitches for magazine subscriptions. While some offers may be legitimate, many are not. Agreeing to buy could result in years of monthly bills for magazines you don’t want, or you could end up paying for a magazine you never even receive.

Solicitors may try to lower your guard by saying they’re just calling to conduct a survey. To protect yourself, don’t ever give your credit card or other personal information to any caller. Don’t agree to anything you don’t receive in writing first. Before you accept an offer to renew a subscription, check the expiration date to determine if it’s really coming up. Read more

The more at ease you are on the Internet, the easier it is to let your guard down, as I discovered the other day. I received an e-mail with the subject marked “Billing Notice.” Without thinking, I opened it immediately. The e-mail from AOL and said that they were experiencing a problem with charging the monthly fee and suspected my card was about to expire. In fact, the card does expire this month.

They asked me to click on a link update my information. I was about to do that when my daughter noted that AOL notices usually look different. AOL Customer Service confirmed this was a scam. The scammers only use an e-mail address for about 10 minutes to collect card numbers quickly before shutting it down and starting over again. Read more