Here’s a great idea that doesn’t get talked about enough: having a computer you use only for online banking and other financial activities, and a different computer for games, music and general Internet usage.

It seems like an expensive route to have two separate computers, but think about it—your financial machine only has to be just powerful enough to handle an operating system, an Internet connection and a web browser. You don’t need massive amounts of RAM or a great (or even particularly good) video card. You could probably even find a used laptop running Windows XP (if you’re a PC user; however I would not recommend Windows Vista) if you poke around. Install your antivirus software and Mozilla Firefox with the NoScript plugin, and you’re ready to go. I would also recommend setting up a separate email address for anything related to finances, and only check it with your financial computer.

What this does is keeps your financial activities separate from everything else; you’re not likely to encounter malware by logging in to your credit card providers or financial institution’s website. In the meantime, if you run into malware trouble on your “fun” computer while mucking about on the Intertubes, the damage will be limited. Your banking passwords won’t get snagged by a keylogger you picked up on an infected website, even if your Facebook password does.

Of course, buying a separate computer is going to cost money whether you go new or used, and in any case you have to keep your security software up-to-date on both machines. It’s not an option for everyone. However, if you can swing a few hundred bucks for a dedicated banking computer and some good security software, it’s just one more layer of protection.