11/22/2022
I originally posted this on Tumblr 10 years ago, but it still holds true...
Tips for investigators on a low budget
I get asked fairly often by folks just getting started in paranormal investigating about the equipment I use. I do own some expensive equipment, some designed specifically for paranormal investigations, some adapted from other purposes. It's easy to get to get sucked in by all of the high tech, state of the art equipment out there and the cool factor doesn't hurt any either! But what a lot of newbies don't realize is you don't need many of those gadgets and that you can do much of the same things alternatively by using everyday inexpensive things lying around the house or available very cheap at a local "dollar" store such as the Dollar Tree store we have here locally. A simple bubble level can be used to test surfaces to see if the real reason a door is shutting or something is moving across a surface is simply due to an uneven surface. A marble or small ball bearing can also suffice. I keep a roll of blue painters tape in my gear bag always. The uses are limitless. One of the things I use it for are movement alarms. When doing an investigation where slamming or opening doors and windows, drawers etc. are claimed, you can use these great little audible battery operated alarms available at the "dollar" stores 2 in a pack for $1. After making sure the movement is not caused by a breeze or something else, You just tape half to one side of the door frame or whatever and the other half to the moving part with the painters tape. If the door, window, drawer etc. opens a loud audible alarm sounds to alert you. In instances where an audible alarm is not wanted or needed you can simply use the tape itself by taping across the object where it opens. I always set these type of traps with a static camera so that there is no doubt of human interference. I also use mini LED drawer & closet lights the same way in areas where a light to get your attention is better than a sound. They work exactly the same as the audible alarms and they are the same size and available also almost any dollar store. You can get a digital recorder for under $40 dollars at most any dept. store that works fine for EVP work. I own a very expensive EVP device that I love and it works awesome especially because I can hear them as they happen, but it's not necessary, it's a luxury and my $35 recorder from Wal-Mart works just as well quality wise! A $1 wind chime suspended inside of a jar on a level surface is a simple tool to test suspected activity while being assured a breeze didn't move it. Likewise a wind chime or balloon can be used to test if airflow is present to debunk movement of certain things. An expensive digital camera is nice to have but isn't required and there are digi cams around that are very inexpensive and will work well enough. You can also use cheap disposable cameras as well. You can also get lots of useful items inexpensively from on line stores based in Hong Kong such as Deal Extreme, Focalprice, & Dinodirect. You can get scads of digi cams, micro cams, recorders, surveillance cams, accessories, flash lights, LED lights, walkie talkies, Lasers etc. super cheap with free shipping. I've bought lots of stuff from these stores with no problems. There are EMF detectors available for around $20 on amazon.com. Some times going investigating "Old School" simplifies things by making yourself not dependent on tech which can be helpful depending on the investigation. This is by no means a complete list but rather me just trying to give a few ideas and tips for the investigator on a budget using some of the low cost techniques that I've employed over the years ;) I hope you found them helpful -
