I slip once in a while, because pc #2 is not nearby and if something prevents it from sending complete WU's or recieving them, like a busy phone line, then it just stops. And there's power outages.
I could get an UPS, but I am essentially unemployed now and have been for 16 months. $8 an hour is not what I call employment, it's just going broke more slowly. To cut costs I've:
1. Cancelled an umbrella policy. $12/month
2. Cancelled a term life policy. $13/month
3. Raised the deductables on my home insurance. $8/month.
3. Cancelled my sponsorship to save the children. I've done that for years, he's pretty grown up, and the village looks pretty good. $24/month
This is what I've cut this year, I cut a lot more last year. It's almost a $60/month savings. So I decided to keep both pc's running, as I don't want to cut out everything.
I'd love to buy a 2.8 MHz P4, add it to my mini farm and burn up the ranks somewhat. But lately when I spend money it's either a neccessity or something that's going to be extremely satisfying. Owning a DVD of "Once Upon a Time In the West" is extremely satisfying, and it's $12. Spending $$$$ for a folding P4, it's just not satisfying. Even if I made it my primary machine it's not that satisfying. And I'm still connected with a standard phone line, no digital line or cable modem for me. Too damn expensive for what i would get out of it.