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Monday, November 24, 2008
Insider Tips for Protecting Your Home While You're Away
It is no secret that more people travel at Thanksgiving than at any other time of the year. So if you'll be away from home this Thursday, be sure to follow the tips below to protect your home from opportunistic thieves, extreme weather conditions, and other hazards:
Safety and Security
Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your home while you're away. Make sure this person has a key and knows how to operate your alarm system, if you have one. (It is always better to leave a key with a neighbor than to hide one in a planter or under the doormat.)
Make sure you lock all windows and doors, as well as any vehicles that you leave at home.
Use special timers to turn on several lights in rooms that are most visible from the street; these will give the impression that someone is home, especially if you time the lights to follow a normal schedule (the kitchen light goes on at dinnertime; the bedroom light goes on just before bedtime, for example).
Contact the post office and newspapers to temporarily suspend service so mail and papers don't pile up. Or better yet, arrange for a friend to collect them so that fewer strangers know how long you'll be away.
If you'll be gone for an extended length of time, hire someone to take out the trash (and bring the cans back in) and do other outdoor chores since thieves are always on the lookout for signs that a home is unattended.
Put valuables in a safe deposit box, home safe, or hide them away in an unexpected spot in the house, rather than leaving, say, your precious diamond earrings in your jewelry box or underwear drawer.
Keep Things Tidy
You'll want to make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are clean when you leave. Wipe down all the counters and other surfaces. Even small messes could stain the surface if they're left to sit.
Discard produce, meat and dairy products that are likely to spoil and create odors in your fridge.
Empty all wastepaper baskets and trashcans.
Remember Those That Are Left Behind
Ask a friend or neighbor to water your plants, or water them well and then set them up with a time-release watering system.
Also have someone check on pets like fish and cats that you are leaving behind.
Save a Little Money While You're Gone
Reset your thermostat to a more efficient temperature to save a little bit on your energy bill. But don't turn off the air-conditioner or heat all-together -- you don't want your home to get overly hot (we once came back from a week-long trip to find that all of our candles had melted during an unusual hot spell) or so cold that your pipes freeze.
Unplug appliances like clocks, computers, and TVs that can use power even when they are turned off, remembering that even a coffee-maker with a timer sucks up a little juice when it is off. Turning off these appliances will also reduce the risk of fire.
(Note: this is an updated version of a piece we originally published in June 2007.)
To help our readers in these tough economic times, The Insider Travel Guide editors have compiled a list of tips and tricks to help save you money throughout your travels:
Affordable NYC Jazz Clubs Too many people avoid New York City's jazz clubs because of reports of outrageously high cover charges and drink minimums. Here's how to hear top drawer music without top drawer prices.
Bargains on Broadway There are many ways to save a few dollars and still enjoy a schedule full of Broadway's top shows.
Boston Theater at a Discount There are many ways to save a few dollars and still enjoy a schedule full of Boston's top shows.
Discount Shopping in New York City New York insiders know that if you plan your shopping trips carefully, you can pick up some excellent bargains, not just at discount stores, but at the top-of-the-line department stores as well.
Escape Hotel Surcharges We've seen the practicing that we call “nickeling-and-diming” – imposing phone surcharges, health-club fees, and mandatory valet parking – on the rise at many hotels. We think it is time to fight back – here’s how.
Free Tickets to Television Tapings Not only are tickets to NYC's TV talk shows free, but they offer an opportunity to grab your fifteen minutes of fame.
Getting into Boston Museums for FREE A listing of some of the Boston museums that offer savings on the admission fee to those who time their visits just right.
Save a Few Bucks at NYC Sample Sales Savvy shoppers have made 7th Avenue sample sales a great way to find the best bargains on finely crafted fashions.
Talk Your Way to a Hotel Upgrade Get the most for your hotel dollar by paying for one of their least expensive rooms, but staying in one of their most luxurious.
In these tough times, it is more useful than ever to find great ways to travel and entertain yourself on a budget. So as part of The NYC Insider's continuing goal of helping our readers Save a Few Bucks, we recommend these completely free ways to enjoy New York City:
One of our favorite holiday traditions is checking out the splendid window displays of New York City department stores. And with this years' economic malaise, such window-shopping might be the most pleasurable holiday shopping of all! So it was with some delight that we learned that Barneys New York will be unveiling the holiday windows at their Madison Avenue store on Sunday, November 16th at 5 pm. Tom Brokaw, author of "Boom! Voices of the Sixties," will be on hand to re-enforce their "Have a Hippie Holiday" theme, plus they're promising a sidewalk bash and raffling off a custom-decorated VW Beetle.
Looking for great travel deals? CheapTickets.com has searched through their entire site to find great offers for you. Hurry, because offers like these don't last long! And we all know that in these tough economic times, the less you pay, the better it feels!
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