For white light viewing (sunspots and granulation) a film or glass filter that fits over the front of your scope is a relatively cheap option that is safe to use visually. This cuts down visible, infra-red and UV light to safe levels.
To view prominences or active regions on the sun you will need a hydrogen-alpha filter, which range in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and allow only an extremely narrow wavelength of red light through. These commonly come as front-mounted filters with a separate 'blocking' filter that is incorporated within a diagonal, or as dedicated solar telescopes. Here is a great link that explains the lot
http://sungazer.net/
Cheers,
David