How can I save $20 to $100 and maybe more per year on the cost of a bank safe deposit box? How SAFE is a home safe?

A safe deposit box at a local bank can cost anywhere from $20 a year, to more than $200 a year, depending on the size. That expense could be eliminated by buying a home safe. If thinking about buying a fireproof, and/or burglar-proof home safe to store documents and/or computer data, first priority is to make sure it’s heavy enough to not be easily carried away by 2 men. Secondly, make sure it’s well hidden in your home.

Other information to consider when deciding which home safe to buy:

1– Be sure to buy only (UL) certified fire proof safes. UL safes have undergone extensive independent testing to ensure the rating and quality of the safe.

2– There are 3 class ratings. A 125 rating protects computer and electronic media, film, photographs, tapes, diskettes, and can protect paper. A 150 rating only protects some media types. A 350 rating protects paper items.

3– Not all fireproof safes protect against water damage, except during fire. The pressure and expansion created by the heat of a fire tends to keep water out.

4–Understanding the fire rating label: For example, a UL Class label reading 125 2-hour fire rating means when exposed to external temperatures over 1700 degrees, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 125 degrees for at least 2 hours. A 125 degree rating is the temperature at which digital media is ruined, so safes with this class of listing are designed to protect records stored digitally such as back-up CD’s, DVD’s diskettes, and tapes. This rating will also protect paper documents, film, and negatives.