We are fortunate to live in one of the safest cities in the country (yay Madison!). Because of this, I feel secure in knowing that we don’t have to be constantly on the lookout for crime – and for that I am very thankful! However, I watch enough Dateline and Forensic Files to keep me privy to what could happen. Paranoid? Eh, maybe a little… but I like to call it vigilant!
About a year ago I learned about a smart home device called the Ring. It’s a Wi-Fi enabled video device and it lets you answer the door from anywhere with your smartphone. It connects to your Wi-Fi network and works with iOS and Android devices. For my family, it’s been a worthwhile investment. Since I work from home most days, I like being able to see who is at the door and to decide whether or not I feel comfortable answering.
A couple years ago I was at home with my three young children when the doorbell rang. I answered (because my then 3 year old made a mad dash for the door and got there before I could scream ‘stranger danger’!!). I’m only slightly kidding about that… in all seriousness, my kids now know that they do not answer the door unless they know who it is going to be. Anyway, that day it turned out to be a middle-aged man who I had never seen before in my life. He was acting shifty and awkward and was carrying a large duffel bag. I politely greeted him and he stumbled over a few words before stating that he was there to sell cleaning supplies. My inner mama bear instinct was telling me that something wasn’t right. I kept my composure while racking my brain trying to decide what to do. Eventually he spewed off some profanity (visibly upset) and he took off down my driveway. I was perplexed. I texted my husband and called the police. I alerted my neighbors through text and on Facebook to make them aware. The police arrived and this man was advised to leave the neighborhood (as it turns out he was driving a large van with Illinois plates). Who knows what he was up to that day? It could have been innocent. But maybe it wasn’t? Either way, I was uncomfortable and shaken enough that 10 minutes later when my doorbell rang again I made a nose dive under my couch while I texted my neighbor to see if she could see my porch from her house. She texted me back and said ‘UPS guy.’ And I got out from under the couch… feeling a little foolish, but also realizing that it can be scary when you don’t know who you will find on the other side of the door.
Now that we have the Ring installed, I feel more at ease when the doorbell rings. I can see a very clear picture of the person ringing the doorbell. I can see them whether I am at home or out and about. I can talk to them through my phone (or I can choose to ignore). We can look back at the footage on our app – so if there is a problem at home at any point in time, we will have clear video footage. When we are out of town we can check out the Live View at any given time – and it also records any ‘motion’ that occurs, so we can check that footage as well.
For now, our biggest issue has been a ding dong ditcher (clearly this pre-teen didn’t recognize that our doorbell is a camera)… now that I can live with. But you know what? I also get extreme satisfaction in being able to ‘bust’ that ding dong ditcher… and also in knowing that people will think twice before they try anything shady – because the Ring is visible (like steal a package, vandalize… or heaven forbid – break in).
So for us – the Ring was well worth the money we paid for it (our version was $249 and my husband installed it). I would recommend it to anyone – and also love that it has a lifetime guarantee. If the device is damaged or stolen – it will be replaced for free. This post is NOT sponsored by the Ring – it is simply a product that my family loves and that I like to share about! Questions? Feel free to ask below. And next time you come to my house – be sure to wave at my doorbell. I’ll be sure to wave back.
** We bought the Ring Doorbell Pro – primarily because it does not require batteries or to be charged and is compatible with Alexa. There are a few other options available – and also accessories that can go with!
I included an affiliate link – but this is in no way sponsored by The Ring – it’s really just a product my family loves!
