Compile a photo inventory of the house and its contents. In case of fire or theft, it will help you remember what you had, which is valuable in making an insurance claim. Keep them in a safe-deposit box at a bank or in a fireproof safe in your home. If you save receipts, copy them and place them with your photo inventory. Most of us don't.
Police say one of the best crime-prevention tools is a neighborhood crime watch.
Although a watch involves a time commitment, there is often no cost. Nina's mother, Teri, learned last year how important it is to get acquainted with her neighbors. Nina, an eighth-grade student who takes the bus to and from school, gets off at her stop alone. As she was walking the few blocks from the stop to her house one afternoon, she noticed a slow-driving pickup truck. Nina went inside, and a few minutes later the driver was beating on the door, demanding to enter.