Find my ideal laptop

You need to give us a price range that you are willing to spend. Otherwise some wise ass will recommend a $2K laptop that you don't need. Also, try and nail down those "design programs". They may make a big difference in the type of processor you need.

I don't really want to go over $500. And, I don't have a clue what programs to get. Sorry, I'm really clueless. I want to design flyers & programs for events at the school mostly. And ne able to let the kids watch a Dvd if we go on a trip. Also, keep spreadsheets of our home finances. We live in the country & dialup is all that is available. So, I would want to be able to connect to WiFi services.

Ok, I'm thinking you mean a wireless broadband connection (3G or 4G) from a company like At&T or Verizon. Wifi is only beneficial if you have a wireless router or a wireless network that you can connect to (like at a Panera or Starbucks). Basic Wifi is pretty much a standard feature on all laptops nowadays. However, the mobile broadband adapters are not and I am not seeing any laptops with the feature for under $500.

You may want to consider buying a laptop and then going to a Verizon/At&T/T-Mobile store and purchasing an adapter + plan separately.

Well, my parents & my sister have WiFi at their homes, so taking the broadband adapter out of the equation, what would be your suggestion?

You'll have all you need to connect with any WiFi hot spot but -.
I guess it's a sign of the times - but nearly any laptop you find won't be equipped with a dial up modem to let you connect from the internet at home. If you don't already have a laptop compatible modem at home you'll need an external USB modem like this one @ BestBuy Zoom - 56K V.92 USB Mini External Data/Fax Modem $50. Or this modem @ NewEgg TRENDnet TFM-561U 56Kbps 1 x USB 2.0 (Type A) 1 x RJ-11 port (phone line) 56K USB Phone/Internet/Fax Modem $28

A pretty good value @ BestBuy: HP G42-475DX 14" notebook $379
AMD Phenom II N640 2.9Ghz Dual-Core CPU, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD 15" 1366x768 LCD w/ AMD Mobility HD 4250 graphics.

Best answer selected by hymegirl.