As the stock market plummets, you may be inclined to stuff your money under your mattress. A mattress may not be such a good idea, but a safe can protect your valuables from burglars and fire. "With bank failures and other economic disturbances or disruptions, people are certainly thinking more about buying residential safes," said Joe Bartholomew, vice president of Boston Lock and Safe in Brighton, Mass.
The kinds of safes you might see at an office supply store usually are meant to provide fire protection for documents such as birth certificates and wills, Barth-olomew said. They often are too small and not strong enough to keep out burglars. A good burglary-resistant safe will have strong hinges and a strong door, and construction that will resist a physical attack, he said. Some customers "get overly consumed about the locking device," he said, which can be either mechanical or electronic. "(But) it's the physical aspect of the manufactured container that really makes it secure."
Bob Mancini, of Mancini Safe Co. in Norwood, Mass., said Underwriters Laboratories certifies safes for levels of burglary resistance. TL-15- and TL-30-rated safes are heavier, with thicker walls and heavier hinges. Mancini's C.O.P. safe, which starts at $170, comes with an alarm that goes off if the safe is moved or banged up. But he recommends bolting safes, especially smaller ones, to the floor. Many companies that sell safes offer to install them at the time of the sale.
A good, foreign-made safe costs from $700 to $1,000, and an American-made one costs $1,500 to $2,500, Bartholomew said. How much you spend should depend on the value of the items you want to protect - and don't forget to check with your insurance company for any credits. "You have to understand that you don't protect $100,000 with a $100 safe," said Mancini. "Nor do you protect $100 with a $20,000 safe."