Every year it feels like the world gets a little bit scarier and we fear for our and our family’s safety a little bit more. The good news is that you do not have to simply get used to being scared. There are steps that you can take to make you and your family safer when you are out in the world. Here are the top 5 ways to keep yourself and your family safe in 2016:
Monetary Safety
It is incredibly important to protect your financial well-being. You can do this by setting aside a portion of every paycheck for savings, retirement, college funds, and paying off your debt. You can invest your money in high interest funds and work with a financial advisor to make smart investments.
Get Your Insurance in Order
We don’t necessarily mean taking out a life insurance policy (though this might be a good idea). We’re talking about health insurance, home/renter’s insurance and auto insurance. Trust us when we tell you that you don’t want to be caught without insurance if you ever get sick or have to deal with an accident. Even people who are considered high risk drivers need insurance. Yes, high risk drivers need this type of insurance, called SR22, which is often slightly more expensive, but it is a worthy expense and, if you shop around, you can usually find reasonable auto insurance SR22 quotes in your area.
Home Security
Take steps to improve your home’s security. If you don’t yet have a security system installed, there’s no time like the new year to have one set up. You might even be able to get a new year’s discount. In addition to a home security system it’s a good idea to take other measures to protect yourself and your family when you are at home, like installing better windows, improving your property’s lighting, etc. Run safety drills for fires and for what to do if there is a home invasion.
If you are a renter, don’t worry! There are many things you can do to secure your apartment that shouldn’t harm your chances of recouping your security deposit.
Stranger Danger
Every parent, at some point, needs to teach their children about stranger danger and how to find help if they find themselves separated from their parents or caretakers. Yes, this can happen even today when helicopter parenting is still all the rage. Have a safety word or phrase so your kids will know who to trust. Make sure your kids know their address and phone number. Teach your kids how to identify adults who are likely to help them if they get into trouble. And try to do all of this calmly. Yes, strangers can be scary but you don’t want your kids to be terrified to leave the house!
Personal Safety
Why not make 2016 the year you and your family learn proper self defense techniques? Enroll yourselves in (age-appropriate) self defense classes so that if any of you are ever attacked or threatened, you’ll be able to handle yourself calmly.
In addition to self-defense, the new year is a good time to start developing better personal safety habits like not walking alone in questionable neighborhoods, keeping your personal information to yourself, carrying your keys and fobs instead of waiting until you are at your vehicle or front door to dig them out of your pocket or purse, etc. There are also personal safety apps that will help you notify others if you feel unsafe or need help that won’t require you to make a phone call.
There are lots of ways to improve your and your family’s safety this year. These are the top five safety categories on which we think you should focus. As you explore them, you’ll likely come up with tons of tips and projects to help you ensure that 2016 is your safest year yet!