Few things in life are more frustrating than being locked out of your house- especially during the colder seasons! Not only do you run the risk of looking like you’re breaking into your own home, but you also face the possibility of having to fork over some dough for a locksmith to let you in or any damage you might cause to a window you use to get back in.

Sigh. You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do…

If you ever find yourself locked out of your house in the future, rest assured knowing there are a few ways you can get back in:

Check for an opened window

If you left a ground floor window opened before leaving home, you might be able to wedge it wide enough to climb through. 70 pounds and 10 years ago, I was the go-to crawler charged with entering through the front and back windows on the occasions that my mother or sister had forgetten their house keys somewhere else and the rest of the family wasn’t expected back home for many hours.

Put your credit card to use

It’s possible to jimmy your door opened by swiping your credit card through the crack while simultaneously jiggling around with your door knob. Angie’s List has detailed instructions on how to do it.

Call Your Landlord

If you’re renting your place, your landlord most likely has their own set of keys to the home. If they live close enough, they probably wouldn’t have a problem dropping by your place to let you in, either.

Ask Your Concierge

If you’re locked out of your apartment, it’s safe to assume you can’t scale the high rise building to get in through that window you left open. Apartment buildings are typically required to hold a master key to every unit, so feel free to give your concierge or building manager a ring asking to be let in.

Call A Locksmith

I know this is the piece of advice we’ve all been dreading, but if all else fails your best bet to getting back into your home is to call a locksmith to change the locks. Granted, it will set you back over $100 but at least you’ll be back in your home relatively quickly.