Please note that these are just personal recommendations, and this article was written in 2014.
Avoid bad websites.
Have a good antivirus – Malwarebytes is pretty good.
Use a DNS filter like open DNS.
Have a good firewall if you have a front facing IP address.
Use Linux
Avoid less reputable program downloads
Use a VPN on public networks
Use a password manager for storing passwords
Disable Flash
Using Linux is not a guarantee way to prevent yourself from getting hacked. However, the way the system partitions memory makes it harder for viruses to gain root control. Nothing is preventing a virus from infecting a Linux machine, especially if you were the one who downloaded it and gave it permission. The likelihood of you stumbling on a Linux virus is less likely because most people write viruses for windows machines. There is a ton of viruses on websites that use JavaScript and Flash that can affect every operating system.
Please be smart when using a VPN. Personally, I don’t trust any free VPN or proxy since it opens the door for a man in the middle attack. If you are genuinely concerned about your privacy I would use a personal VPN server is hosted at a place like Digital Ocean.