Peace Of Mind For A Dollar A Day

New home security systems are affordable, versatile and easy to install.

- Kaitlin Pitsker

NOT SO LONG AGO, HOME security systems were the domain of deep-pocketed homeowners in upscale neighborhoods. But you no longer have to spend a lot of money to protect your property and belongings.

New wireless home security systems are less expensive, easier to install and more portable than their hardwired, landline based predecessors. In addition to notifying authorities about a break-in or other emergency, these systems can alert you to all sorts of threats, from a carbon monoxide leak to a furnace on the fritz. They can also help you keep track of the comings and goings of people in your home—a teenager or your dog walker, for example—and advise you when someone opens, say, a drawer with valuables or the liquor cabinet.