You’ve probably seen QR (Quick Response) codes on magazine ads and elsewhere. Essentially a square barcode composed of varying sizes of black squares, QR codes were originally developed for the automotive industry, but have become increasingly popular for in-store and print advertising, commercial tracking, and ticketing. QR codes are a great way to get URLs, text, or contact information on to a cell phone in seconds.

Many smartphones are now equipped with QR code scanning software, but if yours isn’t, you can easily download the necessary app.  In order to find a QR scanner for your phone, Google “QR reader” along with  the model of your cell phone. On my BlackBerry Tour, I’m using QR Code Scanner Pro, which was free.

You can use this technology to tag your key ring, phone, or other item. Your custom QR code can contain your contact information, making it easy for someone who finds your item or device to contact you. If you prefer, the QR code can trigger a text message to your phone, thereby identifying (via their phone number) whoever found your item (of course this isn’t the approach you’d use for your phone!).

Creating your QR code is simple. There are a number of sites which enable you to do so; I’ve been using QRStuff.com –

Once you’ve created your code, it’s simply a matter of printing it and attaching it to your phone or other device; simply taping it onto the back of your phone with clear tape is inelegant, but effective. With my key ring, I used a laminator and hole punched the laminated QR code so I could attach it to the split ring.

Perhaps this is stating something that you might have intuitively sensed, but the more elaborate your message, the more complicated the QR code’s pattern; keep it simple. I opted for a simple text message along the lines of “Call XXX-XXX-XXXX REWARD.”  (Try scanning the code at the top of this article.) What you opt for is your choice.

If you haven’t investigated QR codes, give it a shot. If you use them in the manner described here, there’s certainly no guarantee you’ll get your lost item back, but it should improve your chances.

Regular readers know that I’m mildly obsessed about leaving my garage door open overnight; that concern lead me to devise a garage door open indicator last year. That approach works great – if we leave the garage door open, a small red LED mounted to the ceiling light in our master bedroom is illuminated.

That’s perfect if it’s in the evening, but what happens if you accidentally leave the door open as you leave home for work – or to go shopping – or anytime, for that matter? Which among us hasn’t driven away from home, and fifteen (pick a number) minutes later thought, “Did I close the garage door??” Enter the Garage Butler.

Timing is everything: I discovered the Garage Butler shortly after installing my LED ‘garage door open’ indicator. This is the ultimate idiot-proof fail-safe: try as you may, you can’t leave your garage door open by mistake with the Garage Butler installed.

The wall mounted controller (above) is the heart of the system. You use the green button to open and close the door (in addition, your old button remains operable). When you leave the door open, it will automatically close after a pre-determined number of minutes (from 3 to 60 with the model shown here). If you want to leave the door open so you can do some yard work, wash the car, and so forth, just push the red “Hold” button after opening the door; the door stays open, and when done, you simply hit the green button to close the door. If you use “Hold” to keep the door open and forget about it (say, you enter the house via another door), the controller is equipped with a photoelectric cell, and the door will close when it gets dark out.

Above, the old button will still work; in our experience, we just use the Garage Butler button.  Key to the system is a magnetic switch that you mount on the garage door itself and the door track. These components come with double sided adhesive foam tape for easy installation; due to OCD, I installed everything with hardware:

Below, a shot of the bracket which mounts to the garage door track; the brackets can be bent in order to achieve the proper gap between the magnets:

The system is powered by a wall wart. Installation takes just a few minutes, and common tools are all that’s required. The aspect of the installation which takes any significant amount of time is routing the wiring. I bought some insulated wire staples and took some care in achieving an install that looks reasonably neat; YMMV. In a word, installation is simple.

The system can be installed on most types of garage doors. I should also mention that the system is fully compatible with garage door safety systems, which remain active. When the door is going to close automatically, a loud alarm beeps for 30 seconds prior to the door actually closing, to warn anyone nearby. As I said above, it’s idiot proof.

There are two versions of the Garage Butler available: the one shown above, which sells for $59.95, and a stripped down model (only 2 timer settings) for $44.95; in both cases, shipping is included.

You can see both at the Garage Butler website:  Garage Butler – the automatic garage door closer

As each year draws to a close, I find myself in a reflective mood, reviewing how the year went, what I achieved – and didn’t – and my plans for the following year; I imagine many of you do the same thing.

I usually have several days off during late December, and take advantage of that time to perform a sanity check on various aspects of my life and take care of some year-end business.  Here are five of the things I do at the end of every year…

1.  Run a credit report . It’s a great idea to make this an annual habit:  go to AnnualCreditReport.com and request a free credit report from one of the 3 nationwide credit reporting agencies – Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.  Your report (actually, a “credit file disclosure”) provides a thorough review of your credit and payment history.  If anyone’s applied for credit using your identity, it’ll show up here.  Note that a credit report will not include your credit score, or FICO; to get it (by no means necessary!), you’ll have to pay ~$8 or $9.

Also:  do not go to FreeCreditReport.com; although you can receive a “free” report, in order to do so you have to sign up for a 7 day trial of a credit monitoring service.  After the initial 7 day period, it’s $19.95 per month.  Beware!

2.  Change critical passwords . I imagine many of you received emails recently regarding the fact that user logons and passwords were compromised at Gawker Media.  If nothing else, the event served as a potent reminder that everyone ought to change passwords on some sort of periodic basis, and that using the same password across several sites is nothing short of idiotic.  If you haven’t updated your passwords recently, take this opportunity to do so, and make sure you use strong passwords.  If you’re worried about remembering them, use a password manager like RoboForm.  “RoboForm Everywhere” enables you to securely sync passwords across multiple computers, by the way; no, I don’t work for them nor do I have any connection to the company!

3.  Reallocate/rebalance your investment accounts . The end of the year is also a great time to thoroughly review and rebalance your investments, whether they’re modest or extensive.  Here’s a link to an excellent article on this topic, from the SEC:  Beginner’s Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversification, and Rebalancing.

4.  Analyze your spending . Whether you use a spreadsheet to track your spending, or simply look at annual summaries of credit card spending and your online bill payments, this is a great time to spend a little time thinking about how you’re actually spending your hard earned income.  You may want to look at insurance coverage, media spending (cable, dish, internet, streaming video, etc.), or wherever your expenditures seem heavier than they should be.  In our case, I switched our auto insurance coverage from a company we’d been with for literally decades, to another.  I also canceled several credit cards during the last week, having no need to pay annual fees on cards that are used infrequently.  I’m also reviewing our life insurance policies, and we’ll probably adjust my wife’s coverage.  Take a few minutes – or an hour or so – to make sure you are spending your money where it’s truly needed!

5.  Make final charitable donations . This is a clear win-win situation:  you get to help someone who could use a hand, and gain a tax deduction at the same time.  I know the economy hasn’t been particularly stellar, but it’s been even tougher for those who are a bit less fortunate.  End the year by helping out someone else.

How about you?  What’s on your year-end To Do list?  Please share by commenting.

If you’ve seen this, my apologies; it’s making the rounds on the interwebs and it very well might have appeared in your Inbox.  Despite being broadly circulated it contains some useful information, so I thought I’d pass it along.  Coincidentally enough, I realized there’s a simple solution to hiding a key outside your home that I’d somehow overlooked in a post on that topic. See below for that update.

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … And taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4.. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather..

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com .)

14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never ever look like a crook.

15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

16. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

18. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets..

19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.
20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

21. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com ; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book “Burglars on the Job”.

Related: a follow up to my post, DIY:  Hide a key outside your home where no one will find it.  One reader suggested his situation (lives in a very public area) didn’t permit any of the solutions offered in the post.  If that’s true for you as well, there’s another option:  use a key safe (or “lock box”) like those used by realtors.   A type which locks to the doorknob is available, or if  that doesn’t appeal to you, the same basic product is available in a configuration which can be bolted to an exterior wall (make sure you’re installing it into the very solid framework around a garage  door or similar location).  Both sell for $17.50 at Amazon.

“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sometimes the simplest tools are the most effective and most relied upon weapons in the traveler’s toolbox.  Inspired by Till’s thread on the Practical Hacks Forum entitled Small Hacks – Big Effect, I’ve been assembling and researching the very best in simple travel hacks that deliver big rewards.

You won’t find any solar powered cooling fan-equipped pith helmets, fancy voltage converters, or crank flashlights on this list; just simple items that can make your travels much more enjoyable.  That said, here’s the list:

1.  Re-purposed volleyball or wrestling kneepad – ~$5

Forget those fancy silk money belts that sell for up to $20!  Get an inexpensive knee pad (here’s a link for one that sells for $5.99) or better yet, find one in your gym bag Use a razor blade to cut a horizontal slit about a half or three quarters of an inch below the top of the padded section, from side to side, leaving a bit of material uncut on each side.  Slip out the foam pad.  Instant stash for your extra cash, travel documents,  and/or passport.

2.  $1 image stabilizer for your camera

Visit the hardware store, spend (at most!) a dollar, and you’ve got a nifty camera stablizer!

Honorable mention:  The $7.99 Bottle Cap Tripod

3.  Ziploc bags

No brainer.   Protect camera from the elements.  Pack a washcloth in one for transatlantic (or other LONG) flights – shortly before landing, ask the FA for some hot water – pour it in the bag, and use the hot cloth to refresh.  Use one for storing your small umbrella – put it back in the bag after use, and it won’t get everything in your purse or daypack wet!  Oh yeah – they’re real handy for your 3-1-1 liquids bag!

4. Binder clips

Definitely low tech, decidedly inexpensive, downright effective.  Get a few small and medium binder clips and toss them in your bag.  Use them to keep the drapes closed at night.  Use one for a cheap money clip for several bills and one credit card.  Small ones make great bookmarks.  Keep your important travel documents together with one.  Gather the synthetic pulls on a zipper equipped with two pulls, clip them together, and then squeeze the plated prongs to remove them:  instant theft deterrent!  (See below; click for your close-up!)

5. Crazy Glue

Repairs of all types, including closing small wounds – pull the skin together, dab some CG on both sides of the wound, and hold in position until the glue dries.

6.  Small essentials kit

Take a ziploc bag and put some Post-It notes, paperclips (numerous uses!), rubber bands (ditto!), a couple of inexpensive pens in it.  You’ll be equipped for a lot of things that come up as you travel about.

A quick word about notepads:  Moleskines are elegant and wonderful.  But really, those inexpensive spiral notebooks are just as useful, although not quite as elegant.  Toss a couple into your ‘essentials kit.’

7.  ‘Tide to Go’ stick or Shout packets

Self explanatory.  Stuff happens.  Be prepared. Throw one in your daypack or purse.

8.  Bandana

The trusty old bandana has plenty of uses:  washcloth, impromptu sun shade/hat, neck cooler, headband, dish/spill/washcloth, and you can even fill it with ice for use as a compress!!

9.  Dental Floss

As reader AirportRunner says, “It’s the Swiss Army Knife” of travelers’ tools.  Just a few uses:  repair (with a sewing needle) clothing, luggage, and shoes; use it as an impromptu clothesline; a cheese knife; shoelace replacement…  the list goes on and on – make sure you bring an extra floss container on your next long (or short!) trip.

10.  Airline slippers

Some airlines provide little slippers on transatlantic flights.  Use them as, well, slippers in your hotel.  Store your shoes in them when traveling – they’ll protect your other items from damage from the shoes.  (Cheap plastic bread bags or shopping bags are great for this use as well.)

11.  Duct tape

Any list like this MUST include duct tape.  Wrap some around a pen or old credit card and toss it in your bag.  It’s great for clothing and luggage repairs, for preventing blisters (feel one coming on? – put some duct tape on the “hot spot!”), theft-proof your luggage while on buses or trains (tape over the zippers), and in a pinch, for use on small cuts or wounds.  Know any other uses? – Please comment!

12.  Cable ties

I always have half a dozen cable ties in each of my bags.  You can fashion an impromptu handle with them, secure zipper pulls as a security measure, or make repairs to numerous items with them.  Bringing along a small cutting tool like the Utilikey or a larger nail clipper is necessary if you go this route, though.

Honorable mention:  Cell phone with camera.

Not on the inexpensive end of the list for sure, but I imagine many of you already have a camera equipped phone.  Photograph your credit cards and passport;  your parking spot at the airport; your room number on the door of your hotel room; your luggage, should it be lost; a particularly great bottle of wine; your rental car when you pick it up to avoid scams;  and subway or metro maps to help find your way around.  (NOTE:  if you use your camera-equipped cell to photograph credit cards or sensitive documents, make sure you require a password to unlock the phone.)

Have any other inexpensive but effective travel hacks?  Please share them by commenting!!