Inexpensive Home Security

Welcome to part one of our five part series about the SmartMoney Home Security Package. Over the course of this series we're going to look at the affordability, reliability, simplicity and expandability of the system. Finally we're going to compare the system to ADT and Protect America. So, lets dig right in!

The first question that comes to many people's minds when they consider home security is: How much will it cost? Now, I'll be the first to admit that this isn't the best factor on which to base your decision. However, people being people and the economy being what it is, its a big factor, if not the primary factor for the average homeowner.

So, what will it cost?

To start out it will cost you $78.95. That's $49 for the setup fee and the first month's payment of $29.95. Now, if you decide to add additional accessories, you'll pay for those as well. Then, its $29.95 per month for a contract length of 24 months. If you're just beginning your research, that may not seem like a big deal. But consider that the industry standard is a 3 to 5 year contract. When you do this, you realize that the SmartMoney package is just that: a smart way to use your money.

Stay tuned for further installments when we cover the other topics I mentioned above.

Fair Home Security

Affordable home security is something that should be on the smart consumer's mind right now. With economic turmoil and ever-increasing prices, most homeowners simply can't afford to shell out thousands of dollars for home security. And that's completely reasonable.

What's not reasonable is some of the commentary on what to do. Certain "experts" are now recommending "cheap" home security. Except by cheap, they mean fake. I agree that having window stickers or yard signs is better than nothing....but not much better.

While its true that burglary is often a crime of opportunity, its also true that thieves are increasingly savvy. Simply having a yard sign just won't cut it. Why? Because, at best, it only covers one aspect of home security: deterrence. If the thief isn't deterred, then you don't have anything in place to notify neighbors or police. You don't have any sirens to scare off the thief when he hears them. If he chooses to enter your home despite your yard sign, he's in the clear.

So, what is the solution, then? The solution is an affordable home security system that you install and program yourself. The GE Simon 3, for example, is a reliable, effective home security system. And the Kit starts at $209.00. You can add more contacts for relatively little cost , and with a little ingenuity and know-how, you can attach hardwired contacts (much cheaper) to a wireless transmitter for next to nothing. Even with a large house, you can have complete home security for under $500. Then, you can sign up for monitoring at only $9.00 per month with no contracts. Now that's affordable home security.