I would also second the gmail suggestion, but with this addition: get your own domain name. Then in the future if you ever need to change from gmail for some reason, it's a 30 second matter of updating mail re-directs.

The other thing I like about gmail is that you can use it's smtp server now for all your outgoing mail (and it automatically archives all sent mail too), so no more smtp annoyances when on the road and not connected to your home isp.