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The following is a guest post submitted by Ashley McFarland of Basement Apartment. She is currently working toward her master’s in graphic design, but you can catch her partying in the Caribbean this Fall!

As a new blogger I have had to cut financial corners here and there, and while security is of utmost importance to me as I grow my blog, this is one corner that should never be cut. Being able to protect your equipment (computer, software, etc) and your writing/photos (blog posts, drafts, personal photos, etc) can be costly, but if you’re smart about it, you can knock out this crucial to-do on the cheap.

First things first, protect that equipment and software. Take care of your computer’s integrity (keep out nasty viruses and spyware) by installing freeware programs like AVG Anti Virus and Google Pack. Second, check WinFiles (or Pure Mac) for hardware and software updates to make sure you’re running the most recent, debugged version of whatever you’ve got. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, make sure you’ve protected your computer equipment by securing your home or office with renter’s or home office insurance: for a low-end credit card payment-sized chunk each month you can feel peace of mind knowing that no punk robbers will be making off with your hard-earned gadgets.

And while you’re insuring your blogging tools, protect the external hard drive that I’m sure you have. If you don’t have one, for God’s sake drop everything right now and go buy one. External hard drives like this one have gone way down in price, they’re simple to use and can keep a snapshot of your computer’s hard drive in case any unthinkables should happen. If your office space is tight and another gadget just isn’t in your future, make sure you keep your files and folders backed up online with Mozy.com. With Mozy you can protect your home computer or office starting at only $4.95 a month, without bells and whistles. Not too shabby, all in all.

Is information backup something you just can’t find a spot for in your budget? Well, blogger, here’s how you can do it for free. This certainly won’t protect all your various files and programs, but if your lifeblood is your writing and the pictures you snap with your trusty digital camera, make sure you’ve got it all uploaded and stored online in case something happens to your everyday equipment. Two easy ways to make this happen: keep your blog posts and drafts organized and backed up online with Google Docs and upload your snapshots to a photo management application like Flickr.

With two easy and free email accounts (Gmail and Yahoo that you can then set up to forward to your email address of choice), build your safety net. Make two habits from now on: 1) write in Docs and then copy-paste to publish posts and 2) upload your photos to Flickr once a week. Be relentless with it and soon it’ll come as second nature to you and your blog’s relief. There’s nothing worse than a computer crash that eats all your photos or a freak incident that say, tosses out your last 30 posts in the blink of an eye.

The last asset that many bloggers neglect to protect is something so simple, so intrinsic that it’s often overlooked. Make sure you take care of yourself! Spending hours and hours in front of a computer screen does not a healthy blogger make…so be sure you have at the very least parked yourself in a chair that supports your back (and possibly even forces you to improve your posture! Gasp!), in a spot with good lighting that will prevent you from straining your bespectacled eyes and ditch the soda and coffee (well, the last 10 cups anyway) for water or green tea.

Speaking of your spectacles, make sure you’re going to the doctor/dentist/therapist as often as you should be, and follow their advice when they tell you to get in a bit of exercise. There’s no harm in doing a handful of push-ups and sit-ups while you’re waiting for your laptop to boot up in the morning. And if you can focus enough during the day to spare yourself an extra 10 minutes each morning, consider reading a book (on a topic that will not be featured prominently in your own blog) or trying your hand at a crossword puzzle (even if you cheat like me).

You’ll be following a seemingly endless stream of information for the rest of the day, literally cramming the bits of news in where they’ll fit, and it wouldn’t hurt to take a deep breath and just focus on one thing each morning. You might even learn the capital of Ukraine. No, I’m not going to tell you—Google it if you must! Take care of yourself because whether or not you think about it, you are the most crucial asset you have and if you’re going to spend the energy to protect everything else, you should recognize the importance of eating a balanced diet and staying fit.

Follow the steps above and you’ll find all of your assets will be safe, with very little money out of pocket. You’ll sleep better at night and your files will be at your fingertips in the morning (or afternoon, or evening, or what-have-you, you blogger). Take time out to protect your assets and happy blogging!

This was a guest post by Ashley McFarland of Basement Apartment. Please visit her or subscribe to her RSS!