Generally, on and off the web, media can be free as long as you're willing to let your experience be mediated by advertising to a degree.

Your own private experiences can be devoid of ads, but private possessions usually cost money.

For example in NYC, if you're taking the subway or bus, your visual landscape is bombarded with ads. If you pay for a cab you have less. If you buy your own car you aren't necessarily subjected to that beyond the billboards and signage you'd find on public roads. If you can afford to live in the Hamptons and take a helicopter to and from Manhattan, you have that much more control over your environment.

But like you said, even Adblock isn't really free.

Well, on the web, I'm looking at content, and the ads are just distracting and annoying. On the bus/subway, I don't find the ads that annoying.

As for AdBlock, they don't actually charge you - you can get the extension for free. The donation is purely voluntary.

There are quite a few sites and apps that are "we will show you ads, unless you pay us, then we'll stop".

apps, yes. But there are sites which manage to circumvent AdBlock? Any examples?