Grrr....I just spent a morning clearing a stubborn virus off my computer. What a waste of time!

But, hey, I am thankful I caught it.

After crashing a computer a couple of years ago due to unchecked spyware (over 125 pieces of spyware, according to the computer repair guy) I now run a daily virus and spyware check using an antivirus program -- on both my desktop and laptop. I also use a second free spyware program to sweep daily for anything the other might have missed. The total cost for the antivirus programs run me about $100/year.

But I can&39;t afford not to be vigilant and neither can you.

Thanks to those annoying, and sometimes dangerous, viruses and spyware, American consumers spent around $8 billion for computer repairs, parts, and replacement over the past two years. That&39;s according to the 2006 Consumer Reports State of the Net, the third annual survey of online activity and threats, conducted this spring by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. They warn that an estimated 2.6 million households bought new computers because of virus infections, while another million had to replace their computers after spyware infections in the past six months. (Clearly, I am not the only one!)

It&39;s important to realize that the damage can go beyond buying a new computer and losing your data. Some of the more frightening programs (bots) can be used to remotely monitor your keystrokes and use info to gain control of your computer, access your log in information and then wipe out your financial accounts or personal information very quickly.

This doesn&39;t mean that you should stay offline. Other studies, particularly those by Javelin Strategy and Research and the Better Business Bureau find that consumers who monitor their financial information online experience fewer losses and resolve identity theft problems more quickly than those who rely on paper statements.

But it does mean that if you are going to go online you must be protected. About 25-- 35% of us aren&39;t. That&39;s just nuts.

It&39;s time to invest in good up-to-date antivirus program -- then use it! Update it and scan regularly. Do the same with a spyware protection program.

Or take the risk that you will need to buy a new computer sometime soon.

Have viruses or spyware cost you money? Share your experiences with us so maybe we can avoid the same problem!