Locked Out of Your House: How to Get Back In

It's inevitable. Sooner or later, you WILL lock yourself out of your house, no matter how careful you are. That front door lock, such a comforting thing when you're inside, will suddenly transform to an unfriendly daunting threshold guarding keeping YOU away from YOUR stuff, and only a locksmith can save you...for a whopping price of $60-120 or more.

It's not a fun situation to find oneself in (I have many times now), but with a little planning beforehand, you can minimize the damage, and hopefully avoid the locksmith. Here are some tips:

*The spare key is the easiest solution, but where to put it? If it's in an obvious space, a burglar could find it. The answer is to find a not-so-obvious space. If you have spaces like that in your yard or around the outside somewhere, you're good to go.

*If the thought of leaving a key hidden outdoors still doesn't work for you, go with a trusted friend or relative (within walking distance). Make sure it's a VERY trusted friend, however. You don't want to leave temptation with someone who might give in to it and become a potential burglar. Be the good neighbor and offer to provide the same service for them.

*Keep your cell phone on you at all times, and keep numbers programmed in. It's very difficult to try and remember phone numbers in a panic situation such as this.

*It might be a good idea to program in the number of a reputable locksmith. Ask friends if they've had any good experiences with any particular company. Who you choose can be important. Some companies charge much more than others for the same service, because they can get away with it. Do some pricing of your own, and see what you find. Check the number every six months to a year to make sure it still works.

*Keeping a spare key at your place of work might be a good solution if it's somewhere you can get to during off-hours. Keeping a spare house key in your car can work well. You may want to keep spares in many different places, since lockouts can happen under many different circumstances. Just don't lose track of where you've hidden keys. If you do find a spare key missing, change the locks on your house immediately.

What you choose to do will vary depending on how safe your neighborhood is and how much time or thought you want to devote to safety. Think about your own situation and take action to get prepared.