One of my former neighbors from my hometown recently had her house broken into. My neighbor was home when it happened, and she hid. Luckily, she wasn’t harmed.

I wasn’t anywhere near there when it happened, but hearing about it really freaked me out. The idea that someone could just break into my space when I’m home, or creep around it when I’m not, is really disturbing to me. It makes me want to take more security measures, but I’m not sure what I can afford on a college student budget. When I’m older, I’m sure I’ll take more steps to protect myself and my space, although I don’t know what those will be. Experts, what sort of security measures do you suggest?

We all like to think of our private space as a personal refuge of sorts–a safe place to lay our heads at night and spend time alone. Unfortunately, there are people out there who don’t respect that. There are about 3.7 million burglaries in the U.S. each year.

The good news is that there are a lot of people working hard to protect you and your space. The police, of course, are there to respond to calls, prevent crimes, and track down perpetrators. As a college student, you can also count on your school to have security measures in place and plans for when things go wrong. If you live on-campus, the security of your dorm is your school’s responsibility. You probably are already familiar with some of the measures your school takes to protect that space.

You can take further steps to secure your space on a budget. For instance, you can look for settings or apps that will empower your computer to take pictures of people who try to activate it. Smarthome products include motion-activated cameras that you may find suit your price range. And you’re not too young to be a part of a neighborhood watch or a similar organization.

While it won’t help catch a criminal or prevent a crime from happening, a good renter’s insurance policy will ensure that you don’t lose too much financially if someone steals from your space. If you live off-campus, a renter’s insurance policy is a great idea; if you live in a dorm, it’s possible that your parents have a homeowner’s insurance policy that already protects you. Speak to them about this if you want to be sure!

It’s true that you’ll have more options as your earnings increase. Installing a security system may not make sense for you now. However, if you own or rent a property long-term, it’s something that you should look into as soon as possible, according to the pros at OmniGuard Security. Security systems offer you all sorts of powers of detection, from motion detectors to sensors that detect open doors and windows. Any quality windows and doors should be compatible with most security systems. A security system will do more than just sound an alarm if your space is invaded–they’ll also alert the authorities and get you help when needed.

It’s a great idea to have security measures and insurance, but don’t live your life in fear. Home invasions are rare in most areas, and basic precautions will go a long way toward making sure that you’re protected.

“Safety first is safety always.” Charles M. Hayes