Do you consider the Internet a necessity?

[Swan4Me]

If you had to cut the budget-would it be the last thing to go?

We have to be connected-that is how DH communicates, and works for his company.
But also use for banking, booking airline, vacations research, trips etc
I can not imagine not having it.


After I texted SIL to check out her Daughter-in -law's video on Facebook of her grandson -My SIL-mid 50's= texted me that she didnt have internet-couldnt afford it. I was floored that her finances were that tight.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

There is a laundry list of things I would cut out or cur down before getting rid of the internet. I really don't know how people do it today with no internet, I find more and more things require online access every day

 

[Swimalie]

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.

 

[mom2d&b]

It is needed right now as DH is unemployeed and supposed to be using it to look for a job. Although I think he spends more time on farmville. I could live without it since I can surf at work.

 

[Marionnette]

Internet is a luxury. I place it high on my list of priorities in the home budget. But when it comes to running our business, the internet is an absolute necessity.

There are a lot of things that I would cut before the internet would go. But if I had to, I would cut it. Of course, that would mean spending a lot of time in Starbucks, McDonalds or some other place that offers free WiFi.

 

[TiffanyK]

Internet would be one of the last things to go for us. I don't know how we would keep up with what we needed to do as far as classes, teams, church etc. So much is handled via email.

 

[JaymeC]

It would be one of the last things to go. I would probably default on a loan before I could cut my internet. I assume things are so bad because I need a job, and how do you find one without having a way to search these days? Or network for that matter. I know you could use free public internet at various places, but that still involves the gas and time to get there (none of them would be walking distance from our house) let alone the fact that McD's may make me shell out for something if I come in there daily to use their net.

I can understand how some people live without it, and I wouldn't want it for the budget board, etc. but imo it's too valuable a tool to turn your back on especially when you need all the help you can get.

 

[angierae]

My husband's job involves being able to get the internet at home, so no, it wouldn't get cut. We also have to have cable because he has to have access to ESPN/Fox Sports/other assorted sports channels in order to do his job.

 

[GinnyEmma]

My husband is required to have Internet at home. So it is a necessity here.

 

[umaangel00]

It actually is a necessity in our house. I go to school online (my husband starts this fall) and I work from home so I wouldn't be able to do either without my internet!

 

[satorifound]

It is a neccessity for me. I live in a small town and I do a lot of my shopping, not to mention finances online.

 

[QVCshopper]

We didn't have home internet until about 2 years ago when I started working from home. We really didn't need it and were just fine without it. Now, it's very needed so I don't have to commute to work anymore. I'm saving gas, but I'm also online more than before.

Maybe your relative doesn't use it like you do.

 

[powellrj]

I know many of my friends use it for work, so they really don't like using it at home. Its not that they can't afford it, its that they chose not to.

 

[hsmamato2]

Internet is a luxury. I place it high on my list of priorities in the home budget.

yup...that!

 

[StrawberryTink]

If you had to cut the budget-would it be the last thing to go?

We have to be connected-that is how DH communicates, and works for his company.
But also use for banking, booking airline, vacations research, trips etc
I can not imagine not having it.


After I texted SIL to check out her Daughter-in -law's video on Facebook of her grandson -My SIL-mid 50's= texted me that she didnt have internet-couldnt afford it. I was floored that her finances were that tight.

Id cut everything before the Net went. As you said, bills, banking.. even the things like online check in for flights and reservations, its a must!!

 

[Hoodie]

Like others, I need it to work, so it's a necessity.

If I didn't I would consider it an extra. It's convenient to have to shop, pay bills, bank, job search for my husband, research, book vacations, have email, etc. but there are other ways of accomplishing those tasks without the internet. Also, the library and other places have free access to computers and internet which would help with the job searching.

I actually think it's more of a distraction sometimes than a help. I've threatened a couple of times to cut it because DH was spending a ton of time researching mysterious diseases he thought he had. If I didn't need it for work, I probably would toss the computer and internet all together.

 

[jodifla]

It's a necessity at our home, not a luxury. It's how we do our work.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I guess it's not a neccessity, but it would be one of the very last things I would cut. I use it to make money (ebay, craigslist, rewards programs) and save money (coupons, deal sites, shopping). Also banking and billpay, I have paperless billing for most of our bills.

I was very suprised to find that three of my DS13's friends this school year did not have internet.

 

[bettymae1121]

Yes, but it's required by my job since I work from home, my company even pays for it (so I guess it's not a budget issue).

If we were paying for it though, yes I'd consider it a necessity, though of course I'd shop around for the best deal I could get.

 

[talulabelle]

Of course we survived years without it, and if the whole world wasn't operating on it now, I would say it was a luxury (as it was for the first several years I had it) but at this point, so much business is done on it - and I can't imagine my kids getting through school without it, I mean we don't have encylopedia books any more like I used when I was a kid. You said she TEXTED you that she couldn't afford internet. I would give up texting AND my phone WAY before I would give up internet.