7 tips to keep you safe when you live alone

For a lot of us, between the time we fly the nest and move in with the person who forms the other half of our first serious relationship, there comes a time when we live on our own. This also may happen after a relationship break-up, or some people just prefer the solitary life.

However, it’s important – if you live alone – that you take some special measures in order to keep yourself safe should the worst come to the worst. Here are some tips that will go a long way to ensuring your own, personal safety.

[1] Get to know your neighbours – the people closest to you geographically will be the people best placed to help you out in an emergency situation. You don’t have to become bosom buddies with them – just get to know them as more than strangers, and let them know that you’ll look out for them. Do so, and they are likely to return the gesture.

[2] Up your home security – living alone means that when you’re not at home, your house is vacant. House breakers may target your home if they know that no one’s home for long periods. Sort yourself out a monitored home security system in order to give yourself extra peace-of-mind.

[3] Eliminate security risks – if you’ve moved into your new place fairly recently, then there may be a security risk that you just haven’t thought about. Call in home security experts so that they can give your place a good going-over and eliminate any risks.

[4] Sort out your personal security – this is especially important if you are a woman who lives alone. You can get apps on your phone that will sound loud alarms should you trigger them, and ones that friends can access to track your whereabouts when you are off somewhere on your own.

[5] Get man’s best friend – you’ll be surprised at how effective a deterrent a dog is. Dogs are very loyal to their owners, and will bark at people who may be aiming to do you no good. A growling, barking dog is a very effective way of scaring off people who you want to be scared off!

[6] Don’t send out clues – if you are away from home for a little while, then don’t give clues that your home is vacant. Letters stuffed in your letterbox, curtains open in the middle of the night, and rubbish and recycling not being set out are all clues that you’re currently somewhere else. Enlist the help of a friend or neighbour to remove such tell-tale signs.

[7] Look out locally – this is another benefit of getting to know your neighbours. They may have heard of a series of break-ins, or items being taken from cars. Some thieves tend to work in ‘waves’, so knowing of a local crime spree will mean you’re best prepared to take preventative measures.

Whether you’re living alone in an apartment block or a some other residence, you can use these seven tips to make sure your personal security is at the level it should be.