I have been using PhotoPlus software to edit my photos that I upload, and have really liked it! It is a TON cheaper than Photoshop, and probably quite a bit simpler to use, which is good for me because I am a newbie. :)
The version 6 download is free, and the version 8 download is $9.99. I chose version 8 because it had quite a bit more features (such as removing backgrounds of a photo). The link for version 6 and version 8 is here: http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/photoplus/

For those who are more advanced, there is a version called PhotoPlus X2, which is equivalent to Photoshop CS3. I'm thinking about upgrading to this version. The link for it is here: http://www.serif.com/photoplus/

Here is a picture I took and removed the background using PhotoPlus 8: