When you set up a personal computer, you have two main areas of cost: hardware and software. Hardware costs can be run from $100’s up to many $1,000s (depending on your needs for speed, RAM, storage, monitor sizes, game controllers, etc.) It’s akin to shopping for a car – do you need a Mini Cooper or a Lamborghini and what options are required vs. nice-to-have?
Software costs can also vary greatly. The costs of an operating system, office applications, specialty software, anti-virus software, utilities, etc. can add up.
What can you do about the cost of your software? One option is to look very closely at free and low-cost software. Over the next few months, I’ll be highlighting software that costs little of nothing and is very useful.
