1) The BBC news web site has a "low graphics" option. Invoke it in the upper-left corner. Then make a new "favorites" entry.
2) I use Mail Washer to evaluate my email before it is downloaded. It can tell you the size of each mail message. I avoid downloading a bunch of spam that way.
3) I always have Automatic Updates turned off since I don't like the idea of letting Microsoft push "whatever" onto my machine without my concurrence.
I use (2) and (3), even though I have "unlimited" high speed access.
Perhaps some of these can help.
seacue