Laptop and mobile phone 1. Instead of Microsoft Office, use Open Office (www.openoffice.org) for writing, drawing, finance, presentations and keeping records. It understands MS Office files and has many of the same features. Cost of Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition: £65.99.
Running total saved: £65.99.
2. Give your paid-for security program the heave-ho in favour of Comodo Internet Security (http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/). It protects against viruses, malware and more and includes a firewall to monitor your Internet connection. Cost of Norton Internet Security 2009: £18.97 + yearly updates.
Running total saved: £84.96.
3. Fiddle with photos or free your inner artist with Paint.NET (www.getpaint.net). It does special photographic effects, has unlimited undos and works an absolute treat. Use it instead of Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 at £44.85.
Running total saved: £129.81.
4. If you're being swallowed by sticky notes, get Stickies (www.zhornsoftware.co.uk) which knocks spots off most paid-for competitors. Quick Notes Plus 5.0 costs £12.09.
Running total saved: £141.90
5. Show real fiscal restraint with Gnucash (www.gnucash.org) which reads your online bank statements, imports old files from Quicken and has a familiar chequebook-style register for transactions. Business Accountz Basic costs £47.97.
Running total saved: £189.97.
6. Get things done with EssentialPIM Free (www.essentialpim.com) which looks like MS Outlook and handles email, appointments, tasks, note-taking and contacts. Outlook 2007 is £71.
Running total saved: £260.87.
7. If you're using Windows XP and want to watch DVDs you’ll need an extra piece of software to handle the decoding. Alternatively, VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/) plays almost anything for free. The Cineplayer DVD Decoder for Windows XP meanwhile, costs £9.99.
Running total saved: £270.86.
8. Apple's iTunes is fine, but you've still got to buy the music in the first place. Instead, broadband users should sign up to Spotify (www.spotify.com) and get up to three million tracks on your home computer for nothing. Spotify is easy to use and great fun too. iTunes albums are £7.99 - buy one a month and that's £95.88 a year.
Running total saved: £366.74.
9. Want your own web site? Google Sites (http://sites.google.com) is a free and unfussy alternative to a commercial program like Mr Site which costs £24.99.
Running total saved: £391.73.
10. And finally, don’t buy a new copy of Microsoft Windows – get Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) instead. It looks like Windows – albeit slightly trickier - and more confident users should check it out. Windows Vista Home Premium is £133.14.
FINAL TOTAL SAVED: £524.87.
Where possible, all prices are from Amazon UK; where an exact commercial equivalent isn't available, we've picked a popular alternative that's a close fit. Prices and details correct at time of publication, June 25, 2009. Written by Rob Beattie, the opinions in this article are the author's own and for general information only. Always seek independent advice.