Audacity is totally free. It seems like most people on here have said that Reaper does enough things better than this to be worth the 50 bucks to keep it, but I find that this good enough to do what I want. YMMV.
I really like Goldwave for simple recording. Its pretty idiot proof and you can edit so much of the soundwave/file with that program.
its free and not that big to download.