Internet options help please

BarefootLizzie

Hiya

I'm currently with Plusnet, paying £16 odd a month for line rental and broardband, which comes with free evening and weekend calls. I don't download tons of stuff, just watch several how to do something videos online a week, and maybe a dozen music youtubes. I use the net to read blogs and social networking.

Virgin cable is in the area, not connected to my home. Have tried talking to them, but nothing for less than £30 odd a month

I'm on giffgaff mobile, using a £5 Hockey Cokey goody bag giving me 60 mins and 300 texts a month. I struggle to use this, as I keep in touch with people via email and social networking media. My mobile is an old basic candy bar and I don't have an internet savvy mobile phone

I rarely use the land line for calls at all, even though they are free at certain times. I've heard about skype, but again, I can't work out what its all about!

I really need internet access, but rarely use the land lineas I tend to need it outside of the free call times, so use my mobile instead as its cheaper. I'm on benefits (due to ill health) at the moment, so need to get the bill as low as possible. Accessing the net at the local library isn't an option, they closed it!

My question is this:

What is the cheapest way to get internet access? (Maybe I've got that already?) Phone calls are abonus, but its the net I really need

I'm not at all knowledgeable about the technology and options now available etc [its confusing the hell out of me - my talents are in other areas lol] , and the packages seem to be great if you're a bigger user than I am.

I just want to see if there's a cheaper, creative way to be online via the pc, because I'm really struggling with the bills for this. (All other areas of my life are money savings expert-ed to bits successfully, this is the last thing to tackle)

Thank you
Lizzie


Thanks

diamonds

BT Basic ?

http://www.bt.com/includingyou/other-products-services-bt-basic.html?s_cid=con_FURL_calls_basic

Bolt on any broadband provider, try below, enter postcode & when the results page comes up choose the tab "broadband", these are the providers you can get standalone broadband with BT Basic (or Primus Line Rental @ £7.49 a month is next cheapest)

http://beta.broadbandchoices.co.uk/?utm_expid=952629-11&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.consumerchoices.co.uk%2F

As for mobile, whats your call usage like ? do you get alot of FREE mins from incoming calls ? do you use alot of free calls to other giff gaff numbers ?

geoffW

Why not get yourself a cheap smart phone (Samsung Galaxy Y on O2,it has a tethering and portable wi-fi option on it) or a second hand unlocked one, your already with Giffgaff so you could get a sim for the data bags or just buy the normal goodybags. I just go payg on Giffgaff for internet and calls.
If you don't need a landline then you'll be saving that £16 pm.

macman

If you are spending more than a fiver per month on daytime calls to landlines, then switch to a Plusnet Anytime tariff.
Skype will otherwise help to reduce your call costs.
£16pm including line rental for a heavy user is a very good deal.

seabass

You could get a dongle with a pay as you go data plan or a contract, if you don't use that much data.

Mine if pretty quick, (faster than my broadband in my last place). Ask them to check your area first though, you don't want to get one and find you can't get a good signal.

BarefootLizzie

tahks folks, certainly things for me to look into... its so tricky to get a decent deal if you are not a big user it seems, the more you use, the more you save lol