Freeware, Shareware and Demos

I love a bargain and I've tested several shareware & freeware programs. Some freeware is buggy, though, and may have spyware hidden in it.. Shareware and demos are a great way to try a limited or trial version completely free. Sometimes the trial version is sufficient to meet my needs as is - never have to upgrade to the full version.  There's lots of good programs available, and some I've liked enough to pay the registration fee.  Here are a few of my picks:

• Mailwasher  - delete the spam & virii before you download your mail
• AVG anti-virus - I prefer AVG over Norton & McAfee
• Zone Alarm - firewall protection
• Ad-aware - best anti-spyware tool
• Spy-bot Search & Destroy - another good anti-spyware tool
• POW - good pop-up stopper from AnalogX
• IEspell - a spell checker add-on for Internet Explorer
• Notespad - free text editor with spell-check
• Personal Ancestral File - free genealogy program from the LDS church
• WinZip - most popular zip utility - shareware

 Bargain Hunting & Shopping Online

Most businesses, large & small have a website, and offer online shopping.  Bookstores like www.amazon.com led the way, and online auctions such as www.ebay.com are phenomenal.  While many people remain cautious, with fears of credit card fraud & identity theft, online sales increase each year.  I love the freedom of shopping from home, but hate paying shipping & handling.  Online shopping sites really make price comparison easy. 

• SalesCircular.com
• PriceWatch.com
• Pricescan.com
• Pricegrabber.com
• Nextag.com
• Bizrate.com
• Mysimon.com