Get by Without the Internet
The Internet is a marvelous little resource, no doubt, but certainly no one needs it to live. Face it: most of the activities you do online can be done just as easily without a computer. Many people get by today without the Internet, whether for financial reasons or by choice. For those of you out there that can't contemplate how someone gets by without it, or if you're thinking of getting rid of your Internet access, here are some helpful alternatives.
Steps
- Invest in a good encyclopedia collection. Supporters of the Internet love telling people how much easier life is with a world of information just a click away. But they forget that people had access to all the same information long before the arrival of the Internet: they're called encyclopedias. And they're probably a lot more accurate than some information you'd find online anyway! Online information can be tampered with too easily or be full of inconsistencies. Don't even get this article started on Wikipedia. You often have to sift through a lot of garbage to filter out the useful information you get online. With an encyclopedia, any topic you need to look up is readily available right at your fingertips, without all the sifting and filtering you do online. They're good, reliable sources of information.
- Buy a dictionary. Like the encyclopedia, one doesn't need Internet access to look up the standard spelling or definition of a word.
- Subscribe to the local newspaper. If you're one of those that relies on the Internet for news, you can easily get your fix delivered right to your door every morning. Most towns publish their own newspaper, and the best part is that all the news is compiled and presented for you without any clicking or searching to be done.
- Subscribe to some magazines. This may lead one to ask "But if I'm cutting the Internet to save money, what good would it do to go out and subscribe to magazines?" Simple: you pay a one-time price for months worth of issues, as opposed to paying your Internet bill every month. A typical magazine subscription offers weekly or monthly issues ranging from six months to a year all for under $30, and there are literally hundreds of magazines catered to every interest you may have. If you love looking up celebrity gossip online, there's 'People.' If you want to stay up-to-date on current events, there's 'Time.' Like browsing movie sites online? Subscribe to 'Entertainment Weekly.' Everything you love to search and look up on the Internet is available in a magazine somewhere, and you can usually subscribe to a whole years worth of issues for a pretty decent price. The best part about magazines is, like with the encyclopedia, all the useless information is already filtered out for you. You get dozens of pages of good, solid material you can hold in your hand and take everywhere with you (which you can't do with the Internet unless you bring your laptop everywhere and have wi-fi).
- Get a phone book. This should be pretty self-explanatory, but the Internet is not the only way to look up numbers and information in your local area. Phone books have been around for decades and people did just fine with them.
- Shop in real stores. If you're big on online shopping, it might do you some good to get out and browse an actual store for once. Sure, the selection might not be as big as what you get online, but most stores are willing to order an item for you if they don't carry it. Many movie and music shops will order a movie, CD, or game you want if you only ask them to. And this also cuts out the cost of shipping. Many clothing stores and other establishments also have catalogs where you can browse their merchandise and either order in the store or submit an order through mail.
- Keep a checkbook. No, this doesn't mean you actually have to write checks, but a record of your spending will eliminate the need to do online banking or check your account online. You can also call the number on the back of your debit card to get your balance.
- Pay your bills through mail, in person, or by direct withdrawal. One of more convenient aspects of the Internet is the ability to pay all your bills online, but this can just as easily be done through alternative means. If the business is in town, drive there and pay it in person. If it's not, send a check or money order through the mail. Most companies allow you to pay your bill in any number of ways, and many people still buy money orders or send checks. You can also have your monthly charge for something taken directly out of your account.
- Get familiar with some wi-fi hot spots in your area. Sometimes, whether for work or school, using the Internet becomes a necessity. Thankfully, many businesses offer free wireless connection. Many book stores, coffee shops, and even fast food places offer free wireless Internet. If you have a laptop, take it with you, get connected and start doing your tasks.
- If it's important, use the library. If your work or school requires you to complete a task, write a paper, or read something online, the local public library offers computers to use for free, to anyone. Most public libraries have a time limit in which to use the computer, but most college libraries allow their users to stay on for unlimited amounts of time. Have you ever gone to your university or college library and taken a look at all the students using the computers there?
- Actually visit or call people. The Internet is an easy way to stay connected with family and friends with minimal effort, but much of that communication is also meaningless and void of real connection. If you're one that relies on the Internet to stay in touch with people, or use Myspace and Facebook, you'll find an actual visit or phone call with these people would not only be just as easy, but more fulfilling and ultimately satisfying than online-only communication. Even your grandma knows how to use a telephone.
- Go out. When most people eliminate the time they spend online, they suddenly find it frees up a significant amount of time. Rather than spending your life glued to a computer screen, get out and meet people. Join a club. Go to a bar or club. Just get out of the house. You'll feel better making a connection to people and things that isn't solely virtual for once.
