You'd be amazed at how many image editing programs there are for just a few bucks shareware. America Online has dozens of them on both platforms. Also take a snoop into Altavista and search for the type software you're looking for. Hit the yard sales, and online classified. Most of the time you can pick up old versions of software that are perfectly good.
User groups are clubs that share a common interest in a specific platform or software.
There you'll find all sorts of info. Sometimes they hold swap meets where software is sold at ridiculously low prices. It may take a while the first few times out, but once you get good at it you can keep the cost down. Contact The Design Center design team for web page critique, makeover clinics, or website design, production and hosting.