What genealogy databases do you access or would you like to access? Historical newspaper databases? Newspapers.com? Major genealogy databases with access to census records, vital records and more? Ancestry.com? HeritageQuest? Without breaking your budget, you can most likely get access to many databases without subscribing to them.
Two excellent resources for access to databases are Family History Centers and public libraries.
Family History Centers may provide access to many databases at no cost. The computers are all set up for you to use. You will also probably be able to download the data to your own flash drive, or make photocopies, or scans. I had all of those options open to me at my last visit to a Family History Center, and having forgotten my flash drive, I simply "clipped" articles from historical newspapers and had them sent to my email, where I can download them to my own computer files. It was a breeze.
Public libraries often have subscriptions to genealogy databases and/or historical newspapers. If your county library doesn't offer these, you may be able to acquire a library card for another county in your State. Databases might be available from remote locations, provided you enter the card number, or you may have to visit the library to use a computer there to get access.
For some researchers, from the novice genealogists to the advanced masters of historical data, it may be worthwhile to consider options which broaden access to databases without adding cost to every new search. And you might even have the chance to share a smile and rub elbows with others passionate about searching the documents of the past..
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