in thinking that whenever you mention on here money is a bit tight people are just too quick to say 'get rid of your broadband'

[DisenchantedPlusBump]

I mean we SAVE money because of it, we don't drive and have to do shopping over the internet, usually using free delivery codes or discount codes and if I didn't then I would have to spend £7 on the bus and struggle with all the bags, kids ect....

The amount of times Ive needed something and saw it for £xxx amount in the shops then gone online and found it for HALF that and ordered it is unreal!

And besides, broadband isn't THAT expensive anymore is it??

I mean we get it as a package with Tv, phone line and calls, and in reality if we DID cancell that package and pay seperatly for calls, line rental and TV it would probably cost the SAME we would just be sat here without the net!

my wireless broadband is actually free through sky.

One of my very best friends is getting married next weekend and without broadband I couldn't have afforded to go!

Dress and shoes from ebay! Dress was beautuful and brand new for only £14.

Savings made on accomodation through online search and booking.

Heated rollers acquired through Freecycle because my hair is awful and I cant afford to have it done.

and most of all I advertise online as a babysitter (all free adverts and a free website) which in the last few weeks (combined with mystery shopping income which I also neec internet for!)has brought me enough income to pay for our petrol to Scotland and buy my outfit etc.

VS- I know LOL for some reason we have got into a whole little debate about it haven't we.

I am with Orange thanks to bloody DP. And is a £150 to cancel contract as have only had since February. PITA.

Also if you are looking for work/training/taking any kind of course internet access is essential IMO

imagine turning up for an interview having not looked at the company's website - they'd laugh you out of the building

keeping up with current information and developments

there is a lot of stuff that isn't related to chat sites and shopping

Chocolateteapot I too save money online, I save money by paying bills/shopping etc online as it costs me £5 just to get into town, but not everyone uses the internet to it's full potential.

I have at least one friend that uses it only for facebook/msn, so for them it would save them money, but on the other hand maybe the people who are saying 'get rid of your broadband' should be offering ways to use the internet to a higher benefit.

If it is a severely desperate situation though, as in, we are going to be evicted, or we are going it have no food then as a quick fix selling the pooter is a good idea. (I'd probably sell my TV first though thinking about it, tv is watchable online and our TV would get us more money than the pooter)

I would be lost without my internet. but...

While broadband (and dial-up is no longer the cheap option so it's generally broadband or nothing) is a necessity in most homes, it is possible to get by on 1 meg as opposed to 10 meg which is what a lot of companies offer. So if dh lost his job tomorrow, while I wouldn't get rid of my broadband I would reduce it down to the lowest speed that saved me the most money (and all those £5s add up).

sky and jym membership would also be gone.

But lots of these things can be done for free at the library, if you're able to use the library for your internet then it could be beneficial in not having it at home.

Our library charges for internet use, not quite sure how much.

Sky and Gym membership? Ooh check you wannabe LOL

I have neither I pay £2 if I want to go to the gym and have freeview. Although I do have mobile cintracts but am getting rid of asap. Also never thought of that stuff about tv online and training courses I do both.

I don't even know why I'm debating this!!!

In the end it comes down to how beneficial it is, IMO.

For some people it is not saving them money, for others it is, it also depends just how badly you need money, are you just about coping but living out of your overdraft or are you without food/electricity/gas/water because it has been cut off?

If we want to save money first thing we do is keep the computer off when not in use (we have it on all the bloody time otherwise!)
Make sure lights are off, things are not on stand-by, put the water heater on less, buy cheaper food, walk places instead of bus etc, there are hundreds of ways to cut down on spending, for some people internet would be the most feasible.

Now I'm off!

BYE VS

I couldn't live without broadband atm. There's a huge supermarket what used to be 3 minutes walk away, but I can't get to it or even the corner shop now, so all food is internet delivery.
All maternity clothes: Ebay and Freecycle.
Communication with family and in-laws - email.
Communication with friends - Livejournal, Facebook
Able to work from home - needs broadband.
Need to sell stuff - put it on Ebay
Need to get rid of stuff - Freecycle
Look up health problems etc - Google
Find info and maps for MrNC to be able to drive and sort other things out in his limited spare time - internet again.

In contrast we don't have cable/satellite TV, use a car once a fortnight (and have friends insured on it to spread the cost), have terminated my mobile contract and will spend about £5 pay-as-you-go a month, and never use the tumble dryer we were given (that may change post-baby).

If we need more money, selling stuff using broadband is way more likely than getting rid of it - I must use it at least 20 times a day! £10/month could be recouped in so many other ways.

My broadband is most definatly a lifeline for me.

I do an online food shop once a week, check my blanace each day and have never been overdrawn once since I started online banking, as I can keep a better check on it.

I buy kids clothes etc from ebay, get huge bargains now and again from various sites and generally spend less.

Most of all though, I stay sane by having the internet.

My broadband is an essential because I need it for work

What pisses me off more on here is when anyone moans about thier messy house and the universal chorus is "Get a cleaner then"

Yes, because everyone can afford one, obv.

Is bradband really that expensive?

I'm sure DH said it didn't cost us any more when we got it.

Lynette, it's not expensive, I think ours is about £5 per month, some packages give you it for free.

I business expense mine.

I don't do online supermarket shopping because it is not available in our area, which is a bit rural.

sell my laptop, sell it you say? are you trying to cause divorce VS? do you know how much i had to beg to get this laptop? sell it?

actually id rather starve! plus dh would kill me. oh that and im starting open uni in a few weeks so i will need my laptop. and before any one suggests it i dont think libarys allowiing screaming toddlers in there for very long and trust me mine would scream, its what they do best

besides which i think the op to amputate the laptop keyboard from finger tips would cost more than we would get back off selling it

my laptop is much like my mp3 player there is no way i would sell either. i cannot get through the day without my laptop, my mp3 player and at least half a jar of coffee. food i will do without if things ever get that bad!

Just a reminder.....

I don't think people should go sell their computer/laptops or cut off their broadband

Just can see that with some people it would be more beneficial than having it.(I doubt those people would be mumsnetters though tbh because even just on MN there is so much advice on saving money etc)

I bet moneysavingexpert.com wouldn't recommend it.

No, I would never get rid of my computer or broadband package. I use it far too much.

I do my grocery shopping on the internet using the promotional codes that are available to get money off. This saves me a lot of money with fuel, saves dragging the kids around and saves my feet.

I do all my banking/paying of bills using Digital Banking. I move money (if we have any!) into our rather low savings account.

I use it to keep in touch with friends.

I use it for MN which has been a lifeline for me over the years.

DH uses it to download his work emails.

The kids use it for Education City and Club Penguin, occasionally, but restricted.

We pay £15 per month to Tiscali for Broadband, Wireless, all 24/7 phone calls and line rental - £15 per month inc VAT. Can't go wrong with that surely?

I definately wouldn't give up my broadband or computer. Like a lot of people who've commented here I use the internet for lots of things that make life a little bit easier (and cheaper).

I do all my banking online, make most of my purchases online as it's almost always cheaper (and is delivered to your door)and like Chocolateteapot I use a lot of the money saving sites like Pigsback where you earn points when you shop online and get money or vouchers back so you get paid to shop!

Pigsback have also got a two rentals for one at Blockbuster at the moment too so there's always great ways to save money using the internet, you just have to look for it.

My broadband is free, we got it when dh took out his mobile contract 2 years ago. Even if we had to pay for it i would never get rid of it x