Some browsers pre-fetch pages, make sure it is turned off.

If you have a router, you could just get rid of the default rule that allows any
traffic from your PC to go out to the Internet. Instead, create rules that allo
w what you actually use (like http, ftp, smtp, etc)
use something like tcpview, fiddler or netlimiter to see what is connecting to w
here.
Netlimiter is great for sure. If you want you can also try a firewall like Zone
Alarm.
The best way to find & disable suspect processes that "eat" bandwidth (without a
nti spyware/malware software).
Also go to your services and stop the "background intelligent transfer service"

a) goto command prompt and do "netstat -b -n"

b) Look for unknown processes that are connected to foreign hosts.
write down the names of the foreign host and also try stopping the offending pro
cess.
If it's spyware/malware then the processes will merely start again when you stop
it = pointless to stop them.
c) open your "hosts" file in "windows/system32/drivers/etc"
d) add the host names which you wrote down earlier at the bottom of the file and
add the IP address "127.0.0.1" to each hostname
e.g.:
problem.hostname1 127.0.0.1
problem.hostname2 127.0.0.1
e) save the file
f) refresh the cache by typing "nbtstat -RR"
g) stop/restart the offending processes an let them try to re-establish their co
nnections.
They will now try & connect to 127.0.0.1, instead of connecting to the foreign h
ost that "eats" bandwidth.
By using this method the malware/spyware/funny apps still try & create connectio
ns to foreign hosts (in order to download something), but they never do,
Instead, they constantly try and connect to 127.0.01 (the localhost) = no bandwi
dth is used.
Your machine however is most probably still infected with something.. but it's n
ot using bandwidth or downloading a payload.