12 Things You Need to Stop Paying For

We live in a consumer nation, where it has long been the case that many of us are encouraged to spend and to pay it off with money we don't have, which then racks up our debt. This mentality has shifted a little during the recession; people are gradually spending less and saving more. However, there are still a lot of things we're paying for that we don't need. Here are 12 things you should be getting for free.

Books: Don't buy books. Instead, borrow them from the library or from a friend, and explore sites that will let you swap books with other people such asBookMooch and PaperBackSwap. Alternatively, there are plenty of wonderful free ebooks on Amazon if you're game to try an indie author.

Cable: A record number of Americans are canceling their cable services, reports Business Insider. Paying for cable almost seems pointless when you look at all the free options out there such as Hulu and network websites that offer free streaming of their hit shows online. Here are steps to cut the cord and survive a world without cable.

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