When I buy a computer, I always reserve a small budget for programs that I have to pay for and that don’t come with the computer package. But ideally, this additional cost should be kept to a minimum or even zero. Over the years, I’ve kept a list of free programs that I download immediately the first time I use a new computer. Because why would you want to pay for something that has a free alternative?

1. Open office

Don’t get me wrong, Microsoft Office Suite is great, but when I was a student, buying another license on top of the operating system put a strain on my budget. At first I was reluctant to try the open source office suite, but I had no other choice. It wasn’t love at first sight, as I admit Microsoft still makes an easy-to-use interface, but it doesn’t take long to get used to either. What really surprised me was the fact that OpenOffice supports the latest Microsoft XML Document Format, so you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues.

2. VLC Media Player

Windows Media Player supports very limited audio and video formats. If you want to continue using it, you need to install codecs that are free to download. But I know that VLC Media Player supports almost all formats. It’s a fast and easy way to play even the strangest video formats, with a very simple user interface.

3. Irfan view

IrfanView is a simple image editing tool, but one feature that I love is the batch conversion tool. It allows you to compress huge image files into a folder so you can easily upload them without significant quality loss.

4. Avast! anti virus

Every Windows user needs a robust antivirus system for their protection. While there are great antivirus programs you can buy, you can actually download one for free. I have been using avast for years and have had no problems with it. It is fast in detecting viruses and the latest version has no annoying pop-up messages about update warnings and reminders. For home users who don’t do a lot of internet banking, it’s not really necessary to buy a fancy security suite.

5.CCleaner

Made by Piriform, CCleaner is a great tool for system maintenance. System cleaner removes all unnecessary data accumulated over time, such as log files, cookies, and thumbnail cache with one click. It also has a great registry cleaner to help your computer run faster.

there you go You really don’t have to spend a lot as a computer owner because technology keeps changing and you have to pay for each new version that is released or when the license expires.