Five New Year's resolutions for your computer

I love spending money when it's not necessary — said no one ever.

Problem is, your computer might be showing its age, be it slow boot-up times, sluggish performance, annoying freeze-ups and pop-up windows caused by malware ("malicious software"). This is especially frustrating for those who rely on their computer for work.

Instead of buying a new computer, however, perhaps you can squeeze more life out of your aging PC or Mac.

It's not difficult, and so consider the following five computer-related New Year's resolutions — for your computer — to try in 2015.

I will back up my important info

You know the old adage — you don't know what you got until it's gone — so be sure to back up your important files on a regular basis in case of theft, fire, a nasty virus or power surge.

It doesn't really matter how you back up your files, as long as you do something and fairly often (once or twice a month should be ample for most computer users). Local backup solutions include an external hard drive, USB flash drive ("thumbstick") or recordable DVD. In case of fire, flood or theft, it's best to keep those saved files in a different room than your PC. Better yet, store it elsewhere, such as a trusted family member's house or in a safety deposit box.

It's also recommended to take advantage of one of the free online "cloud" storage options, which let you access your files securely through a password-protected app (for mobile devices) or website (for computers). Popular cloud services include Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, Box and SugarSync, to name a few.

Examples of the kinds of files you should back up include irreplaceable digital photos, documents, e-mail addresses, calendar appointments, Web bookmarks and so forth.

I will use security software

If you've read the headlines lately, you know there have been many high-profile Internet attacks from malicious types who want to do harm.

Therefore, it's critical to purchase and install protective software that can safeguard your computer (and mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets) from damaging viruses (which can infect your operating system), spyware (that can monitor your Web-surfing behavior), hackers (who want to access your files) and phishing attempts (where malicious types try to steal your personal information, like credit card or banking information, for financial gain).

Some security software may be offered for free online (e.g. Download.com) or via your Internet Service Provider (ISP), but for robust protection it's recommended to invest in a software suite that can protect you on multiple devices and from a variety of online threats. Personally, I use Symantec's Norton Security with Backup (for up to 10 devices).

I will clean up my PC

April may be a few months away, but it's not too early to spring clean your computer.

For example, is your desktop littered with so many icons that you can't see the photo behind it? Or have your music tastes changed since you went through that Country & Western "stage" in 2012?

Uninstall unused programs by going to the Control Panel, and then Add/Remove Programs. On a Mac, open LaunchPad and drag and drop the app icon into Trash. You can also delete files, like songs and movies, you no longer need.

"Degfragging" is another way to help your computer operate faster with more stability. In Windows 8 or older, do a search for the words "cleanup" or "system tools" and select Disk Defragmenter. Run the program to give your hard drive a tune-up. It might take awhile but you should notice a marked improvement (tip: start the process before you leave your home or go to bed). There are also good third-party disk defrag tools available online.

I will update my programs

Software makers are continually updating their programs to fix problems or add more functionality.

If you have the option for "automatic" updates — in software such as your operating system, Internet security programs, Web browser, games or media player, for example — click to accept this feature, as updates will be automatically downloaded to your computer whenever they become available. This way, you won't have to remember to manually check for updates and download them one at a time.

Many computer manufacturers, such as HP and Dell, also give you the option to check periodically for online updates to commonly used programs or hardware, such as an update for your laptop's video card, Wi-Fi adaptor or integrated webcam.

I will fight back against spam

A thorn in many a computer user's side is junk e-mail, or "spam," that clutters up one's inbox, promising everything from cheap pharmaceuticals to fixing bad credit.

The good news is you can greatly reduce the amount of unwanted e-mail.

Chances are your e-mail program, such as Microsoft Outlook, or Web mail program (like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail out Outlook.com), lets you bump up the filters so that it catches more junk mail. You can also block specific senders or flag words that might suggest the message is spam (such as "Viagra" or "Cialis").

On a related note, a free but powerful Outlook plug-in called SPAMfighter can dramatically reduce the amount of junk mail you get by segregating suspicious messages and dropping them into a junk folder.

Also, be selective about to whom you're giving out your e-mail address when online and if you want to share it to trusted companies (such as a retailer) set up a free, secondary Web mail address (like Gmail), to keep your main inbox dedicated to family, friends or colleagues.

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at techcomments@usatoday.com.