I just stopped by the forum because I just finished installing an alarm system in my house. I did all the downstairs doors and windows.

If you want to do this and thought it was too expensive, it�s not.

I had read that it�s really easy even as a do it yourself project and it�s only about $150 for 2 doors and 6 windows so if you do it yourself, that�s pretty sweet.

I�m bummed that I felt that I had to do it. I�ve always said that I�m not going to feel like a prisoner in my own house, but break-ins have jumped sky high in this recession and with Christmas right around the corner I felt compelled to take some kind of action.

I�m not really comfy with discussing the specs of what I�ve done to my home in a public forum, but if anyone needs assistance or advice, feel free to PM me.

I�m in a two-story cape but if you were just doing an apartment it would be pretty cheap. I also bought the equipment in a store and you can get it much cheaper online.

It�s not quite as easy as they made out in the �how to� articles that I�ve read. I was about ripping my hair out by hour two of the project but now that it�s all figured out, it�s not so bad.

Nanny cams are kind of cool these days too. I set up a single camera that didn�t cost much and I run it off of a laptop and point it at the back door now and then. Using free software I was able to get motion detection for free on a $30 camera and another free program that uploads all the photos taken in live time to my own FTP site. Most cable companies offer you a site for free though I have a paid one that holds more.

I can then watch from anywhere with a web browser, I even watch now and then from work. The cool thing about this method is that because the images are stored offsite, they can steal the camera, the laptop, and burn the house down and I still have all the pics of them as they approached the camera.

Ok now I sound utterly paranoid. I�m just geeky and it�s so cheap to do this stuff that I like checking it out. Although I did get broken into last year and I am actually paranoid now.

Anyway, I just wanted to make people aware, in case they didn�t already know, that home security is not very expensive these days and you can do a lot of it yourself if you�re handy that way.

Well done Lynn. Things are quiet enough that I don't need to do this but plan to next year. I'm particularly interested in the ability to check things over the net and also use digital cameras for clear picture quality.

Good advice. The nanny cams definitely have other applications. I've seen people use them to keep an eye on cleaning ladies, maintenance people and contractors.

A little tip from high security establishment (Embassy's, government installations etc.) Inconspicuous cameras in the grounds facing in towards the house both covers any accidental blind spots and are usually overlooked as people don't expect it.