Does anyone know how to rid yourself of anxiety, especially social anxiety?

Or, well, let me explain my own anxiety
I'm afraid of talking to people because I'm afraid I'll sound awkward or we won't find anything in common. It's not necessarily that they won't like me, but that I'll say something weird and they'll get weirded out and stop talking to me. Also, I'm really quiet and I really need to speak up, so social speaking, or stage fright. And, oh yeah, fear of ruining my reputation. So I guess I need help letting things go and speaking up.
I've trust issues too, so yeah.

Can you guys help me? Like, anything I can exercise to make the nagging feeling go away? Does going out more help, or anything like that? I've tried the writing it down and throwing it away, the "it's not your fault" self-reassurance. But it doesn't seem to work.

I can't afford a therapist because they're like two hours from where I live and I can't find the guts to tell my parents I need help (mostly because they'll say it's not serious and just laugh {they're like that, but they take care of me well}). Or talking to a counselor, because if I can hardly tell my friends how can I tell a stranger?

So, yeah, I need some help, I hope it isn't too much to ask for . . .