money is not the issue, ehh...!
i suggest
antivirus : avast or avast
anti-spy : ms anti-spy AND adaware
firewall : zonealarm.
wont cost u much....all freeware !
if u want to make your winxp more safer, try this
(i had posted this earlier, but cudnt find the link)
make your WinXP still safer ! plug these holes !
most of us know about the usuals :
installing SP2. install all updates from autopatcher or the microsoft site;
turn on winxp firewall and pop-up blocker;
install a good antivirus like avast or avg;
install 2 good anti-spywares like ms anti-spy and adaware;
replacing ur hosts file, with a 'good' hosts file,
adding ie-spyads to ur restricted zone, etc...
here are some additional holes which you can plug up, to boost your
security & privacy, and reduce threats. use these preventive measures:
disable windows potentially annoying, built-in spam receiving
Messenger Services (not to be mixed up with msn msngr)
disable 'Universal Plug-n-Play", windows potentially exploitable
networking capability, which can expose your computer to internet
attacks.
disable the very powerful DCOM system, allows pieces of your computer
to be remotely activated across the Internet. (does not affext sp2 users)
it is always enabled in Windows systems by default. use the GRC DCOMbobulator.
freeware utilities assissting the above, and more, can be downloaded
from *grc.com/freepopular.htm
u may like to disable several other of the other of these services:
MediaPlayer automatic updates, player identification. sending usage/
error reports to microsoft,
disabling ie6 authentication,
disabling officexp error reports,
disabling certain services,
disabling msn messenger,
disabling remote desktop/registry support
etc, etc.
all these and some more very interesting preventive measures & options
are availble in these excellent utilities
XP-AntiSpy v 3.94
click *xp-antispy.org/component/option,com_remository/Itemid,26/
SafeXP v 1.5.3.21
click *www.theorica.net/safexp.htm
Xpy 0.8.12
click *nsis.whyeye.org/
apart from above-mentioned 3-4 utilities, i strongly recommend
'The Computer Security Tool
*www.computersecuritytool.com/