Do you consider the Internet a necessity?

[dzorn]

DH does work from home so for that yes, otherwise we could do without. Thought I would have Dis withdrawl.

Denise in MI

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

It's a necessity. I would cut out TV and a landline before I dropped internet. Come to think of it, I did cut my TV and landline. I access them both through the internet now... along with work, banking, communications. Like I said: necessity.

 

[secretpantssam]

It's not a necessity in my house. I enjoy having it but would definitely cut it if I needed to.

 

[honeydiane1953]

Absolutely not! Nor is cable, cell phones, and sooo many things most Americans have. Look at Survivor the reality show. We need water, food, shelter and some medications. Clothes r a must but what we take for granite are not HAVE TO HAVE things.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Yep.. we really have to have it between two college students (both IS majors and job communications. We had to do some cut backs some time ago and we cut cable not internet. We would cut a LOT of stuff before we cut internet service.

 

[drcmk]

I would add that our children, one junior high student and one high school student, are expected to have access to email and to the Internet for research for school assignments. Some school assignments are only posted online. I suppose they could go to the library if we didn't have Internet access at home, but that would be very inconvenient, particularly on those nights when they are doing homework well past the time when the library has closed. And the teachers could email them at any time, so we'd have to go to the library every day to make sure they aren't missing any communication from school.

 

[Pigeon]

It wouldn't be the last thing to go--we'd pay the mortgage and continue to eat. But it wouldn't be the first thing to go, either. It's pretty useful, and it's about the only ongoing entertainment expense we have.

 

[drcmk]

Absolutely not! Nor is cable, cell phones, and sooo many things most Americans have. We need water, food, shelter and some medications. Clothes r a must but what we take for granite are not HAVE TO HAVE things.

Do you consider education to be a "must?" Do you consider information about the world around us to be a "must?" Most people get warnings about natural disasters, community news and world happenings through the Internet. My school district informs us via email and the website if school is cancelled or if the children are dismissing early due to an emergency. After September 11, I could only communicate with my brother (who was on a Metro train under the Pentagon at the time) via the Internet because land lines and cell phone lines were clogged. I was SO grateful to know that he was safe and would not have found out for hours if I didn't use Instant Messaging.

I guess I would not die without the Internet (at least not immediately) but I'd put my family at greater risk and have less control over my life.

 

[Cin]

Internet is one of the last things I would cut. Internet is how I found my current job, keep up on continuing education required for my ongoing career, keep in touch with friends and family, plan my meals and grocery lists, learn so many new things like how to salsa dance, travel to distant places and more. I can watch do my banking, pay my bills, shop, watch tv programs, sports events, and movies, get the weather, current news, and more all from my home computer.

 

[DWGal210]

That's what I did; I get the local channels free & use Hulu, Netflix & iTunes for the rest. That cut about $80/month from my bill. But I couldn't cut Internet. I use it too often.

I agree as well. There are other things I would cut first - like cable before I cut internet. I own a business and it's essential to working for me.

 

[kathie859]

I think access to the Internet is pretty much a necessity for efficient modern life. I get my news online, much of my entertainment and I save money by online shopping and with online coupons and deal getting!

Can those who are not "wired" succeed? Of course they can--I'm just saying that it makes life a lot easier. To me it's akin to running water and indoor toilets

 

[ChrisinNJ]

We have a website that makes us money ans we sell items on ebay. I made enough on ebay this month to pay for my internet for the next 3 years.

Aside from all that, all communication from my kids school come to us via email, so I would be totally out of the loop without internet.

 

[Jedana]

Yes. We gave up cable, but I cannot give up my internet. I pay all the bills online, make appointments, watch the kids grades, etc.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My husbands 2nd business is internet only so we have to have it.

Even without the business, I'd consider it a must have item. I could change to a slower speed and save money that way if I had to.

 

[locolala]

I would get a job working at Walmart before I would get rid of our internet.. we use it for communicating with family overseas, and for gaming. The gaming keeps us sane and it's something DH and I can do together!

 

[honeydiane1953]

Do you consider education to be a "must?" Do you consider information about the world around us to be a "must?" Most people get warnings about natural disasters, community news and world happenings through the Internet. My school district informs us via email and the website if school is cancelled or if the children are dismissing early due to an emergency. After September 11, I could only communicate with my brother (who was on a Metro train under the Pentagon at the time) via the Internet because land lines and cell phone lines were clogged. I was SO grateful to know that he was safe and would not have found out for hours if I didn't use Instant Messaging.

I guess I would not die without the Internet (at least not immediately) but I'd put my family at greater risk and have less control over my life.

I have a college education and did it without the internet. We had books back then! As far as natural or unnatural disasters we have TVS. We r a spoiled group of whining babies. As for me the internet is NOT a necessity. Informative yes, entertaining yes but would not die without one. TYVM.

 

[mrsklamc]

I have a college education and did it without the internet.

You couldn't now. I'm sure there's not a college in the country you could graduate from without being able to use the internet; Nor should you, they're supposed to be preparing you for a job and most jobs are going to require it too.

 

[dvcgirl]

Absolutely a necessity. DH's company pays for it, so it doesn't cost us anything. But if he lost his job, we'd never in a million years ever drop internet service.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't know that I'd call it a necessity because to me that conveys something absolutely vital like food, shelter, heat, etc. while the need for internet is more situational. However, cancelling our internet service would cost us more money than it would save so I suppose it is a necessity as far as budgeting goes.

I don't earn a lot of money but what I do earn is completely dependent upon having internet access, and DH uses it for a number of things related to his business that would be very difficult (though not impossible) without it. Plus we use it to save money, from printing coupons and checking out sales flyers (we don't get them in the mail or Sunday paper) to shopping online rather than driving the 40+mi round trip to the nearest retail area.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

It would be one of the last things to be cut but it is not so necessary that I would choose it over food and shelter or my car.

But boy would I be going through some super withdrawals if I had to get rid of it