Anti-virus software is an absolute must on any computer. Without it you can open yourself up to all kinds of problems. Here are two pieces of software that I highly recommend to safeguard your computer from viruses and spyware. I use both on my personal computer and laptop. AVG is anti-virus protection, and is just as good or better than any virus protection you would normally purchase. Ad-Aware from Lavasoft will knock out any spyware on your computer. Best of all they're both free!

Free Anti-virus software

In today's world, anti-virus software is a must-have. But that doesn't mean you need to pay subscription prices for to receive the virus definition updates. There are very good anti-virus software products available for the taking. One of the ones I frequently recommend is AVG AntiVirus software from Grisoft. Just remember that this is for home use, so don't take advantage of Grisoft's kindness. Also, you don't get any technical support. If this is something you need, buy the software and pay the annual fee for the updates. You'll be glad you did!

Cost: Free
Link: free.grisoft.com

Give adware and spyware the boot

This free program finds spyware and adware. These are little programs that advertising companies place on our computers. Adware feeds us ads; spyware reports back on our browsing habits. These programs invade your privacy. And they will slow your machine. So it's a good idea to clean them out. Lavasoft's Ad-Aware is a good program. You should use it in conjunction with other anti-spyware programs. That way, you've got all your bases covered. How often should you run Ad-Aware? I run my anti-spyware software a few times a week.

Cost: Free
Link: www.lavasoftusa.com