I pay Hulu $7.99 a month for Hulu Plus even though it forces me to watch ads between my favorite shows. I yell at the screen every time, but whatever.

I pay Netflix $8.99 a month mostly to watch Law and Order episodes I have on a USB stick my brother gave me for Christmas five years ago.

I pay The New York Times $15 a month, because I value the role its top-notch reporting plays in maintaining the checks and balances of our society.

I pay the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, about $35 a month for lazy parking practices that result in tickets. (Hey, the street signs here are ridiculous.)