renewal (another question)

Hello .REF: NIS 2010 (and  presently running NI S2010)..... need a bit of advice.

My renewal is due in 57 days .  My wife is a student and I am unemployed like half the western world now-a-days.... I have turned off the auto renewal option. My wife can get NIS 2010 thru her student union as a download at a more competetive price than Nortons are offering direct...thus saving monies. :-) I'am all for that (thought I might have to buy bitdefender this year due to price)

 

So not to miss this offer I wondered how soon after a download was down, must the product key be activate?

 

Do I need to uninstall NIS2010 then re-install it OR could I on the last day when my prescription runs out , just enter the Product key code in the Express Renewal box ???? 

I also believe that upgrading to 2011 would be cost free, is this correct ?

 

 

Thanks for the help :smileyhappy: