When multiple cars in our neighborhood were broken into, it gave me a serious wake-up call. I mean, we live in a safe, quiet area and never expected something like that to happen.

We always lock our doors, but this made me realize maybe that wasn't enough.

Now that we have kids, and I want to make sure they're as safe as possible, I decided it was time to look into a home security system.

The problem was, I knew nothing about home security systems. I remember having ADT in my house when I was younger, but figured there must now be security systems available that are even stronger and more up-to-date.

I went online and came across Vivint Smart Home, a smart home security system that can be controlled from an app.

They provide 24/7 monitoring of your home, starting at around $1 a day, and offer cameras, smart locks, car protection, garage protection, and alarms.

This seemed like something that would really give me the peace of mind I needed. But it sounded complicated—I'm not exactly tech savvy. Then, I read that they offer to install everything for you. I wouldn't have to do any of it myself—great!

I read about their doorbell camera notifying you when a package has been delivered—we suspect that we had an Amazon package stolen from our doorstep last year, so we were immediately interested in this feature.

I decided to call one of their reps. When speaking to one of their Smart Home Pros, we discussed my options, and I was able to decide what system we wanted. We went for the three-camera bundle they offer—one doorbell camera, an outdoor camera, and one indoor camera with their security system. Plus, 24/7 security monitoring.

The unique thing about Vivint is that it offers so much more than just security—they can turn your home into a smart home! We'd be able to adjust the thermostat and turn on the lights with just the push of a button from the phone app. Plus, of course, we can monitor all the cameras from our phones—I'll admit, I mostly use this to check up on our dog Oscar and see what he gets himself into during the day.

One of the Vivint Smart Home Pros came to install the equipment and show us how to use it at a time that suited us. I expected it to be hard to learn, but we picked it up really quickly, and all the smart features were even more impressive than I imagined.

We've been using Vivint for a while now, and it really has improved our lives. The heating comes on before we get home—the Vivint Element Thermostat learns your occupancy patterns and anticipates when to turn itself on. Plus, we can make sure all the doors are locked, and the garage door is closed, even after leaving the house (something I always worried about before).

The doorbell camera is super convenient; now we know who's at our door before they even ring the doorbell—we get a notification when packages have arrived!

Vivint gives us peace of mind and lets us feel at ease when we leave the house. I'd recommend Vivint to anyone who wants to upgrade their home security and live a more convenient lifestyle.

Update: Vivint is extending a special offer to our readers.Follow this link to receive free installation and a $50 visa gift card with purchase of a system.

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