Backlight burned out

The backlight on my laptop, which is essential to the functionality of the screen, has burned out. I had to drive from Laurinburg up the most boring road in the world, US 15-501, to the Best Buy in Aberdeen. There was an Envision 17" widescreen monitor on sale for only $180, but they were out. I ended up buying a 17" regular screen monitor for $190. I have to get used to the arrangement where I'm still using the laptop's keybord and mouse-thing (not an actual mouse), but using a screen set up behind the acutal computer. The backlight can be replaced free until August, but that's not an option right now, as this is the only computer I have.