Free hosting may assist you financially, but it is important to protect yourself while you use that free hosting. I can not stress the importance of backing up your files while using free hosting or even any web site design and hosting, free or not. Although we are all at risk while storing our files online to be accessed by others, I believe free hosted web sites are at particular risk simply because their fate is not always in the owner's hands. Most often, free hosting does not come with access to the protection of the server - the host's administer may be the only one with such access. This leaves you in a very vulnerable place. Not knowing such information or being to access and alter it yourself, if needed, leaves you to rely solely on the host's administers. This is not always the best place to be if you do not have a reputable free host. Before selecting a company for free hosting, I suggest you shop (even if you are not spending any money) around and choose wisely because your web site's livelihood is truly at stake.