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Among my friends (both of them, including my chiropodist), I'm known familiarly as Budget Bob, the Frugal Freelancer, the Commodore of Cheap, the Prince of Penny-Pinchers. If there's a bargain to be had, I'm on it like lint on a blue serge suit.

Of course, being cost-conscious has nothing to do with cutting corners or buying shoddy goods. It means shopping and working smart--getting exactly the right tool for the job at the best price. (After all, cheap is such an ugly word, don't you think? Personally, I prefer "financially retentive.")

Chances are you can increase your PC's oomph, enhance or extend the capabilities of Windows and your everyday applications, and get more out of a peripheral without opening your wallet. Most of the 40+ PC pepper-uppers that follow are free, and even when a tweak does necessitate crowbarring your coin purse open, the damage never exceeds $50.

So whether your system's chronic complaints are traceable to a hiccuping hard drive, a recalcitrant operating system, or a sputtering Internet connection, I have the low- or no-cost cure for what ails it. And when you've seen it through its convalescence, you'll be able to enjoy the PC of Jack Benny's dreams.

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