If you've had stomach issues in the past or claim to have a weak stomach, this will make it more believable when you claim to be suffering food poisoning. Try not to focus on this too much, as this can be suspicious, but in the week before you claim you are ill, you might want to mention once or twice that your stomach is sensitive and has given you trouble in the past. If you plan on using bad restaurant food as your excuse for food poisoning, you might mention you have had stomach issues with this kind of food before. As an example, if you plan on "getting sick" from Mexican food, a week before you might say, "I love Mexican food, but it always does a number on my stomach." You don't have to actually go out to eat, but if you tell your classmates, coworkers, or boss that you're going to eat somewhere likely to cause food poisoning, that'll make it more believable when it happens. Certain foods, like Mexican, Indian, and Chinese, have a reputation for causing stomach issues. You might use one of these to make your condition credible. You should be careful when choosing a restaurant if you do not intend to dine there. If someone you know is at the restaurant at the same time you say you were, this could hurt your story. A safer option might be to say you ate some bad food at a private dining event, like a family dinner or reunion. You can add credibility to this claim by complaining that one of your relatives is an awful cook. Some kinds of food are more likely to give you food poisoning than others. The most common of these are poultry, meat, fish, and eggs. Food made with raw eggs, like a homemade cake or brownies, are also likely causes. When calling in sick, you might say that you ate one of these. To make your story more convincing, you might say something like, "I had some fish last night and I think it gave me food poisoning. The flavor seemed off, and I only ate half of it, but my stomach's killing me now!" Avoid being overly dramatic when describing the food you've eaten. If you talk about the food as though it was rotten, it may come across as suspicious. It may help you keep your story straight if you choose a specific dish that made you sick. For example, you could choose dumplings or a pork burrito as the culprit that caused your food poisoning. By telling your friends and family you're not feeling well in a Facebook post or Tweet, it's more likely people will believe you've got food poisoning. For example, you might say something like, "I'm going to be on the down-low for a day or two. Got food poisoning last night." You might also broadcast your illness by calling a classmate or coworker you are close with, informing them you have food poisoning, and asking if they are willing to fill you in on what's happened when you get back. If you call in sick with food poisoning and someone sees you out and about, it could cause trouble for you. You'll have a much smaller chance of being found out if you relax at home instead. Restock your supplies, like food and drink, the day before you are sick so you don't run the risk of bumping into someone who thinks you're sick. You could plan a day-long movie marathon for your "sick" day, catch up on chores around the house, read a book, or call and catch up with old friends and family. Be careful with your social media posts when you're pretending to be ill. If you post something on Facebook or Twitter that makes it sound like you're well, your story might not hold up.
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One-sentence summary -- Talk about stomach issues. Invent a dicey dining situation. Use a likely food as the scape goat. Broadcast your illness. Plan at home activities.

Most situations which would have you creeping around your own house will likely happen at night. It is recommended that you keep the area as dark as possible as you clear your house. Darkness gives you a few advantages: You surely know your house better than an intruder, and if you have a flashlight with you, you have the ability to completely remove the intruder's night vision. There is also the option to have an additional attached flashlight. Most tactical, or combat, weapons have the ability to attach certain lights to the frame of the firearm. Hand-held light gives you options that the attached light does not, so while an attached light is a great feature to have on a weapon, it cannot always replace the hand-held light. Night sights are a welcome feature because they allow you to line up your sights when there is no light. This isn't a panacea, however: If you can't see your sights you may not be able to see your target, and you will have an even more difficult time identifying your target. (Make sure you're not dealing with your next-door-neighbor's son!) Laser sights are also options. Laser sights will allow you to see where your firearm is pointed without having to use the sights to aim. This can be very helpful if you don't have your corrective lenses in. As always, you must identify your target as hostile before firing, which means that you will want to have a flashlight, even if you are using a laser. Your best "accessory" is your own body. If something happens while you are sleeping, your eyes are already adjusted, but if something happens and you are around light (but you must go into a dark area) be sure you let your eyes adjust before you proceed. It can take up to 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust. You do not want to be silhouetted against the light behind you, or highlighted by light on you. Try to approach danger areas from the shadows or from behind other areas of concealment or cover. Aim the light right at the head and turn it on for only a moment (a flashlight with a temporary-on switch is preferable). You need a flashlight with at least 50 Lumens to temporarily disorient an attacker at night. This action will also get a reaction which will give you an idea into the intruder's head. They now know you know where they are, and being blinded is not a comfortable situation. The chemicals in his eyes which allow humans to see in almost complete darkness will have been burnt away and will take up to 30 minutes to fully return, which gives you a big advantage.
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One-sentence summary --
Remove light from the equation, if possible, for an advantage. Keep a hand-held flashlight next to your weapon of choice. Consider outfitting your firearm with various sights. Allow your eyes to adjust. Be aware of your surroundings. Identify a possible target and temporarily blind him by flashing your light at their eyes in order to disorient them. Get a good look at the intruder and with a bright enough light, the light-splash should allow you to see if he is holding a weapon. Engage the target as described above.