It's starting to get crazy. It used to be a pleasure to get your email. Now it is a chore having to wade through dozens, even hundreds of unwanted email messages a day. Spam has reached epidemic proportions. Here are 5 things that you can do to cut down on how much unwanted junk reaches your inbox.

1) Protect Your Email Address

Make sure that your email address is not visible anywhere on the web. If it is on a webpage it can be harvested by 'spambots' - computer programs that scour the Internet for email addresses to add to their spam database. Use a contact form on webpages for people to get in touch. This does not leave a footprint that spambots can use.

2) Use Disposable Email Addresses

You should have one main email address that you protect by only revealing to close friends. Some providers will then allow you to have a number of disposable email addresses that forward all email to your mail email address. You then only give out your disposable email address online.

For example you make an online purchase using a disposable email address. A couple of months later you start getting spam sent to that email address. You can then stop using that address, and start using another disposable one.

3) Use An Email Host With Antispam Filters

Some email hosts have antispam functionality built into their system. This will intercept a lot of spam before it even reaches you.

4) Use Personal Antispam Software

There are a number of antispam products that are on the market. Some are built into Internet Security Suites by the likes of big names like Norton and McAfee. There are also free products available such as Cactus Spam Filter

5) Never Reply To A Spammer

If you do receive spam, do not reply to it. This will only confirm that the email address is live and result in more spam being sent to you.

There's free spam software, but is it any good? At http://www.email-spam-blockers.com we report what the best free anti spam downloads are.