- Those fake cameras and stickers might work on the casual thief, but anyone with half a clue can spot them.
- Reinforcing the door frame with longer screws and a solid strike plate is way more effective than most realize.
- Wedge sensors are honestly pretty limited, like you said.
- Curious though—anyone have luck with those cheap motion sensor lights? I wonder if they’re more of a real deterrent than the fake camera route.
Curious though—anyone have luck with those cheap motion sensor lights? I wonder if they’re more of a real deterrent than the fake camera route.
Honestly, those $15 motion lights from the hardware store did more for my peace of mind than any sticker or fake cam ever could. My neighbor’s cat sets them off all the time, but at least I know they work. Thieves probably hate surprises, right? For the price, I’ll take it.
I get what you mean—those motion lights are way more satisfying than a fake camera. At least you know something’s happening when they go off, even if it’s just the neighbor’s cat or a raccoon. I put one by my back door and honestly, it’s made me feel a lot better about random noises at night. For the price, it’s hard to beat. Stickers and fake cams just feel like wishful thinking to me... at least with lights, there’s some action.
IF YOU HAD TO RIG UP YOUR OWN HOME SECURITY ON A TIGHT BUDGET, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Stickers and fake cams just feel like wishful thinking to me... at least with lights, there’s some action.
Yeah, I’m with you on that. Those fake cameras are just asking for trouble if someone actually knows what they’re looking at. Motion lights at least do something—if nothing else, they’ll startle whoever’s poking around. I’ve put up a few myself, and it’s wild how often they go off for random critters. Still, I’d rather get woken up by a raccoon than miss something real.
One thing I’d add: if you’re handy, you can wire up a cheap WiFi camera (the real kind, not the dummy ones) for not much more than a good motion light. Some of those budget cams are surprisingly decent now, especially if you don’t care about fancy features. I get being on a tight budget, but if you’re already running power for the lights, it’s not much more work to add a camera and at least have some footage if something does happen.
Honestly, I think the best combo is motion lights plus a real camera—even if it’s just one covering the main entry. Stickers and fake stuff just don’t cut it for me either.
Honestly, I think the best combo is motion lights plus a real camera—even if it’s just one covering the main entry.
That’s pretty much where I landed too. I tried the sticker thing once—felt kind of silly, honestly. The peace of mind just wasn’t there. Motion lights are a no-brainer, but I’d add that placement matters a lot. If you’ve got a weird side yard or a back gate, those spots are usually the weak links. I put a cheap camera on my alley-facing door and it’s caught more than just raccoons—had footage of a neighbor’s dog making the rounds at 2am.
One thing I’d toss in: if you’re running on a shoestring, some of those battery-powered WiFi cams are decent and don’t need wiring at all. Not perfect, but better than nothing, and you can move them around if you need to. I’d skip the fake stuff too—anyone who’s actually casing a place will spot it in a second. Real deterrents, even basic ones, go a lot further.
