There are many options; not all of them break the bank. All of the suggestions presented here are good ones, but they may be more expensive than you want to attempt, at least getting started. Close-up photography is rather difficult unless you can compose and focus through the lens of the camera. Fortunately, even many of the point-and-shoot digital cameras have an LCD viewfinder which should work nicely. Now, you just need to get closer. Check out one of the bigger on-line photo stores (like bhphotovideo or adorama), for something called a "close-up auxilliary lens". You should be able to get something like this for under $40, which snaps in front of the camera lens. If you do not have an LCD viewfinder, things get more difficult. Not necessarily impossible, just more difficult. For the ultimate, some of the suggestions above are excellent, but may be more expensive than you had in mind. Let us know how things work out!