Without the internet, we would be unable to access information on our Social Security accounts. Changes now pending could be disastrous if we are unable to respond immediately when new deadlines are applied.
It takes a minimum of a week to schedule an appointment to visit the local SS office, and a round trip of about 40 miles to a facility with NO PARKING accessible to either of us due to walking distances at the destination, with "agents" who know less about current SS policies than we do.
Without the internet, we would be unable to access the "prescriptions by mail" suppliers of our principal medications, specified by insurers, and local dispensing would increase our Rx costs by at least $6,000 per year. By mail, using internet correspondence, we get 90 day refills without leaving the house, and local refills would mean a trip to pharmacies at least a couple of times monthly - at driving costs of $3 to $5 per trip (not included in the $6k).
Driving trip cost to our local bank is about the same $3 to $5 per trip as to pharmacies, and my main bank is 2,300 miles away. I can handle nearly all transactions at both via the internet with an occasional phone call, with trips saved just to the local bank sufficient to cover about half our cost for DSL service.
We have "throwaway" cell phones with "buy a card" service, but the messaging is not reliable enough for us to depend on, especially for returned calls from medical providers, so we feel it necessary to have a landline phone with a reliable answering machine. The additional cost for our minimal DSL is about $20 per month, which is easily justified by what we save by using the internet. Of course, to realize the savings you have to learn to use the advantages of the internet services available.
We haven't had a "subscriber TV" connection for about 20 years, but an antenna gets us 3 to 5 local channels (depending on the weather). Programming is mostly "paid commmercials" but the local news reports are interchangeable and we nearly always can get at least one if we turn it on at "news times." Actually, the local news is usually 2 or 3 days behind, and less complete than, the same news I read daily on the 'net.
I believe there was a comment about "he enjoys the internet but I don't so we're going to get rid of it." My "her" occasionally comes up with something along that line (and she complains - obviously unjustifiably - that I do the same). I make sure she gets her medical checkups, and we try to work out something that considers both our needs. The urge to "change everything" sometimes accompanies medical changes that are difficult to recognize, and sometimes a medical change in condition may benefit more from something you haven't considered - that your medical advisor may be able to suggest. ; D)
If the change is something made necessary by "cost of living" considerations, you do need to consider whether the "cost reductions" you think you're making will actually save money and/or whether you really understand the benefits you may lose by making them. You also must be careful about whether the benefits you think you're going to gain are really something that you want.
More time to visit with your friends won't help if they're all on the internet or watching TV when you want to visit, and it may be harder than expected to find new friends who are compatible with your new "style" and easily accessible.