We all know the importance of backing up your photos in one fashion or another: external hard drives, online services, RAID towers, DVD, etc. It’s good to use as many of these backup methods as is practical, but usually we’re restricted by things like cost. There’s one method that gives reasonable security at a fairly low cost: DVD backup.
Most newer computers have a DVD recorder, and blank discs are relatively cheap. Buy a stack of discs, backup your photos, and put them in a fireproof safe or safety deposit box. Backup the new ones every couple of months (or more depending on your shooting frequency). Don’t forget to write down which pictures are on the disc and the date they were backed up. You might think about recopying the discs every 5 years or so, because they don’t last forever.
