You can currently get Poser 4 for around $99 lowest it's been in ages. Poser 5 keeps coming down in price also. As far as cost, I've spent around $4,000 in software in the last year. I do art cause I love it, sometimes I even sell something I have created. My new goal is of doing a show with printed artworks framed and what not, the costs keep getting cheaper so it's doable. I keep adding on, getting upgrades, books and learning. I guess I would say that I put myself in the really expensive hobby catagory, though I have art background and been payed to be an artist on several jobs. I'd get poser and start playin with the millions of freebies that are out there and have some fun with it, that is the ultimate goal, to have fun, I know someone told me that somewhere. If it's not for you, then it's only a small investment. Think of it this way, Poser 4 costs about as much as going to the movies 4 times and having popcorn, trust me, you'll have more fun with poser than some of the movies haha! hope you join the Poser crowd, lot of great helpful people around, and lots of fun to be had :)