Happy World Backup Day!

Spring is in the air.. and it's April Fool's Day eve... what better day to take a moment (or a few) to backup your critical computer files. As mundane and boring as it sounds, it's critical if you have files, photos or videos that could not be replaced. How can you do this frugally? There are some options.

You could backup your files locally. Hard disk drives are fairly inexpensive these days.You can also use a flash drive or CD or DVD. Back up your entire computer with software like the built in Windows Backup and Recovery on Windows PC's, Acronis, or choose from the many, many software programs made to help you backup your files. You can find an extensive list here.

The other choice for backup is in the "cloud". Online backup services are growing -- Amazon just announced it's free 5GB online backup service. Others include Drop Box, iDrive, Norton Online Backup, and Carbonite. Check out this link for a list of available services. Depending on your needs, find the backup service that fits your needed file space and budget.

Personally, I use Carbonite backup. It's saved me from one computer crash... I was able to restore everything with minimum interruption. I don't have to think about it, it happens all on it's own. There is no space limit, so I don't have to worry about all the photos and videos of the kids. The price is reasonable, and I've been very happy with the ease of using the program. It works for me!

I do recommend that you pick a solution you'll stick with -- you'll be happy that you did!

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