I want software that i can use to create flyers, advertisements, things like that. I like to be able to insert my own graphics, use text boxes, something simple and user friendly. any suggestions?

Publisher

Try OpenOffice.org, it's freeware and includes a word processor like Microsoft Word. It's a big file to download so you need a fast connection. Do a search on Google for it.

Publisher is great for assembling all your info together, text, pictures, graphs, spreadsheets,
etc... very flexible and lots of templates and
pictures included with software and also on their Online database of pictures, templates etc...
it is included with some microsoft office versions.
great software. professional too. to tweak your pictures you have the microsoft office picture manager also included in microsoft office. If you want very professional tools you may consider adobe photoshop, but not required for most. good luck, let me know if you need any more advice. In this reply I am assuming you are using Microsoft XP or Vista.

Inkscape might be useful too, it's a freeware vector editor (the same as Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw!, but these are very expensive).

I've actually made a few flyers for a friend with it.

http://www.inkscape.org/

Erm, try Swishmax, well it's mainly for creating flash files, but it has some coool things.

Many of the brochure publishers include free software.
Otherwise MS Word can be used.

Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are TOP CHOICES.
http://us20.trymicrosoftoffice.com/default.aspx

PhotoScape is also recommended.
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php

Third place is for Paint.NET and OpenOffice.
http://www.getpaint.net/
http://www.openoffice.org/

Last but not least, The GIMP. It is quite complex for beginner and not very user-friendly for beginners. It oftentimes to months to learn how to use effectively. But it is a good image editor nevertheless, comparable to Photoshop.
http://www.gimp.org/


(I have Microsoft Office Professional 2007, Photoscape, Paint.NET, and GIMP. None of which has given my computer any problem, and all of which are awesome image manipulators.)

MS office or Open Office (free ware) both could do it. On a Mac you can use either Open Office or iWork. On the other hand professional designers would use Either Adobe InDesign or Quark Express (both work on Mac & PC) A good simple to use entry level program for PC only is Broder Bunds Print Shop and Print Shop Pro. Also not to expensive either, about 30 to 40 dollars.