Can someone in their 50s exist with no internet?

My parents wouldn’t know where to start. They spend hours on the phone sorting things out. Just recently I saved them a small fortune going online to compare car insurance for them. Imagine having to ring every insurance company in the phone book to find the cheapest quote then go through the whole raft of questions, it would take days. My sister and I are happy to do things like that for them of course, but for those that don’t have family support it would be very difficult, and it will only get worse. I’ll never understand people my age (50s) who proudly declare that they don’t do technology.

Why don't you try it for a week, see how you get on and report back? It would be really interesting to find out just how many things would be made harder with no Internet.

In 30 years there won’t be many people who would have any memory of pre internet life.

Try 50 or 60 I was born in 1976 no internet for the first 20 years of my life, didn't need it as such until the 2010s when I was in my 30s. DGM lived to 96 so I have a fair chance of being around in 45 years and there are those younger than me who will remember too.

I know someone who has a calls only phone and no tv or internet -he has a partner and they read books, watch dvds ,listen to music.

I think mostly you could, though things like banking are now designed to not have you walk into a building! I think for me the biggest thing would be eg storm warnings etc, the storm took out our broadband and electricity for a few days and we couldn’t leave the house and get hold of a newspaper for three of them and had no idea if there were new warnings or anything

No. Loads of things are harder, more expensive or not even possible.

A few examples from my week:

Renewed passport online - it costs a fair amount more now to do non online. mine was overseas renew and I would have to fly back to uk to go to uk post office to do paperwork if I wanted non online, as in country embassy no longer does passports ( as it’s all online)

My son’s nursery communication is all via app now. No paperwork given. So you would never know what’s going on. They have a phone but it’s only reachable 12-12.30. They expect you to inform of that day absence, illness or questions via app.

All our sports clubs, activities, members stuff is via WhatsApp or email. In the past you would get an annual calendar of events posted, but now , changes happen and updates sent each week. Ie Ds football was moved from Fri 4pm to Mon 4.30pm, you wouldn’t be called personally with that as it’s a group message to loads of people

All our utility bills are paper free now.

We own small b and b, we don’t even reveal our phone number now. It’s too inconvenient people calling too late at night or when I’m busy. I can’t check calendar of availability when I’m driving or if I’m in the middle of something else. So it’s far easier guests email with any enquiries, then I can read question properly when at laptop and actual answer with information. Only once people have booked do they get contact number for emergencies. so you 100% couldn’t book without internet

My parents pretend they don’t need internet. They do, they just have to ask everyone else constantly to do everything for them

I'm about to give up sky and broadband. I'd let you know how it goes but.....lol

People who drive can't imagine how people who don't drive survive life. You may think that life is harder but you don't miss what you never had.
I couldn't make it through my day without my phone and I didn't get online properly until 10 years ago - I'm 53.

I agree. I expect similar conversations were had in the caves when writing was invented. ‘Why do we need to make these marks, what’s wrong with just telling the information through speech?’
I suppose it’s horses for courses though. I remember life before the internet and for me (72) life is so much easier with it. Uber anyone?

Same.

I’ve lived with no at home internet and laptop etc (in my mid 30s) but still had smart phone with internet for the practicalities

Yep. I’m in Australia and landlines are connected to the internet now. If internet or power goes down, no landline. Who thought that was a good idea?

If you have an interest in posting on the likes of MN then presumably you see the value of online communication to an extent?
I can imagine you could live without it if you chose to. We managed fine before it existed.

Physically, things like shopping. The effort and time it takes to go out and look at things and choose them then buy them, then lug them home if they're heavy; it's a lot. Compared to just clicking a few buttons from the comfort of your home and having a delivery. No transport issues, no dealing with crowds of strangers etc.

But if you are physically ok with that then I guess it's fine. People might not communicate as much though. As WhatsApp, social media etc has become the norm rather than calling people for lengthy chats. In fact I think you can't have a landline either without internet.

Having internet today is like having a phone 40 years ago. It’s a basic need that should exist in every household.

I don’t see how anyone manages these days without internet access, or indeed a smart phone. It’s a real problem for elderly people on limited means to buy the technology they need for day to day admin.

In my 50s I probably could have lived without internet. But I had a great village style shopping centre practically outside my front door with a library just up the street and a community of good people. I was working so I was out and about anyway. But still I used the internet.

Now in my 60s and living in a less central spot I could not get by without the internet. I use it for food shopping, banking, Christmas shopping, latest news, making hospital/doctors appointments , forums like these, renewing library loans etc.. last week the internet was down in my area for 3 days and while manageable for that very short period, it was also annoying. It’s also great for news about what’s happening in my local area, and for news generally.

Also, I’d hate to have to pick up/re learn how to use the internet after a prolonged period away from it, as it moves fast and develops quickly.

This is so odd to me, why people in their 50s? It's not old, they will still be working, most likely. So using emails and all manner of other digital services. And if they have DC they'll likely have teens or young adults, digital natives who might want to stay in touch via cloud hosted things like emails and WhatsApp.

I'm in my mid 40s, my siblings are all in 50s, I cannot imagine any of us living life without the internet. Nor my late 70s/early 80s parents and in laws. Sure you maybe don't want a broadband connection but would you really not want any kind of access to all the services which are now down exclusively or more easily via the data (internet) on your phone or tablet?

You don't need internet to make calls. Even a " dumb" basic mobile will make calls even if it's not internet capable

This I cancelled my broadband subscription as had no need for it but have plenty of data on my phone and can use as a hotspot for my table if I want

I don't watch TV or Netflix though at my house

I'd be out of a job, as I work in IT and am dependent on it for that.

I can easily go a weekend without it, though. I might have to do a bit of planning ahead to make sure I'm not doing something that needs tickets online or anything, but I have stayed in places where the connection was so poor, it was easier not to bother. Or camping.

No way. I don’t want to have such a grim existence.

I suppose that depends if you think it's harder or not? Some people might like the slower pace of life. I think you'd live more efficiently and do lots of tasks in a trip. I'd probably buy less as it would take more effort.

Banks have closed around me, so I do have to travel further. Accessible by train for me if I didn't want to drive. They are open on Saturday morning, which is fine if you don't work six days.

I do enjoy the convenience of online services but it is still possible to live without it. Even if we choose not to live without it, I think it's concerning that some people don't seem to have the knowledge or skills to be able to access services any other way. Everyone should be able to do that.

A friend of mine (in her 70s) has no Internet, no computer/laptop, no TV, landline only, listens to the radio for entertainment and reads a lot. Loves gardening and writing poetry.

Shes highly intelligent and a fascinating lady....however she does struggle with day to day "annoyances" which occur simply because she's not plugged into 2025

I registered to vote by filling in that card they send in the post. I didn’t even think to do it online.
Im glad some pp recognise that being so dependent on the internet is a worry. At the end of the day my early experiences make me realise I could cope. I remember life before. In 30 years there won’t be many people who would have any memory of pre internet life. I’m not sure that’s good for us as a species.
It’s not equivalent to, I don’t know, wanting to wash by hand when washing machines have been invented. The internet, and especially mobile internet has completely re shaped business, travel, culture, work. Everything. And the sense of privacy we used to have is different. Now we just accept that everything we do is tracked and our data collected. There’s no point even worrying about it as there’s nothing you can do.
I sometimes wonder if teenagers could just get an implant in their wrist and be walking phones they wouldn’t think twice. Already their phones are like an extension of their bodies. Not just teenagers actually.