For participants who are mostly or solely readers and don't post much or
at all, a good buy is MCI-MAIL.  They allow incoming Internet mail for
free, above their annual fee of (last I heard) $35.  However, their rates
on out-going messages are expensive.
 
Also, if there's a Free-Net in your region then clearly that's something
that should be pursued.  (The "price" can't be beat -- there's no charge.)
A current list of Free-Nets can be ftp'd from nptn.org.
 
-- Roger Burns   [log in to unmask]