10 Ways the Internet Costs Me a Ton of Money

Internet access is one of the great benefits of living in the age of high tech, no doubt; but take it from me, it can get pretty expensive. Anyone who spends as much time online as I do will back me up on this list of 10 ways that the internet costs me a ton of money:

1. ISP – For starters, just paying for a broadband connection costs me a good chunk of change. For a 6 Mbps DSL connection out here in rural country, I’m paying 80 bucks a month.
2. Hardware Upgrades – There’s always some gadget or another that is guaranteed to increase my speed, enhance my gaming experience, make my whites whiter, and my colors more vibrant. Maybe I’m just a sucker for a good deal.
3. eCommerce – Online shopping is just too convenient. Everything is right there, literally just a click away. Some retail sites offer membership profiles that allow you to make your purchase with a single click of the mouse.
4. WiFi -Let’s not forget the price of connectivity on the road. Wireless hotspots at local venues tend to rack up a tab for you if you aren’t careful. I have a frappuccino named after me at the local bistro, thanks to my web surfing proclivity and caffeine addiction.
5. Gizmos – On the subject of mobility, it appears that it’s no longer enough to simply surf from my desk. Now I’ve got 4 different devices just to stay connected: laptop, tablet, internet-TV, and smart phone.
6. Downloads – MP3′s, streaming video, movies, software, games. There’s no end to the things I can load right onto my computer, and the prices mount up pretty quickly. That is, if you’re doing it legally, as I do.
7. Online Poker – Even on the reputable sites, this little hobby can put a man in the poor house faster than a crack addiction. Never mind the Ponzi schemes and illicit sites, where you can really end up getting soaked.
8. Nigerian Royalty Fees – Call this one a Stupid Tax if you like. It’s normally assessed on those poor souls, like me, who fail to use an effective spam filter on their email accounts. On the plus side, I’m huge in Africa.
9. Identity Theft – Of course, my story doesn’t end with having connections to West African aristocracy. Someone was apparently so envious of my social status in Nigeria that they stole my identity. It wouldn’t be so bad if this didn’t jeopardize the $21,320,000 that Prince Okon has promised would be deposited into my bank account any day now.
10. Cookies – I’m not talking about snack foods here, although that’s another cost entirely. No, I mean those adware cookies that merchants use to store your surfing and shopping data, and even sell it to other vendors. That just makes me an easier mark than I already am.

Taken From Internet Service Providers