Adobe CS6 Costs is currently $2500.  Standalone Photoshop CS6 is $700.  Photoshop CS6 Extended which allows you to manipulate 3d Objects is $999.

List Price of CS4 on Ebay goes from $150 (photoshop only) to $500 dollars for the entire suite.  Currently I'm using Photoshop CS2 from 2005.  (Current price Free. Adobe gave it away sometime last year.

Ideally Sales are offered at the same time of year so signing up now, My cost per year is $108.00.  Annually.  9 dollars a month for the latest copy of Photoshop.  That is two quarter pounders with cheese per cheese a month or two Frappacino's if you are a coffeeholic like me. My point is that just isn't that much.  

A while ago, I was arriving at the ATM of my bank, it was the exact same time as an octogenarian.  I, of course deferred and invited him to go first.  He gave me this big smile and extended a slightly shaking hand and gently held my arm to pull me close.  He told me to go first.  I, of course refused and invited him to go first again.  He pulled me close again and with this big smile gave me some sage advice.

 "No No," He told me.  "The longer my money is in the bank.  The more money I make."

I liked that old guy.  I keep that bit of wisdom with another.  "You get what you pay for."

In cars, computers and software, I think it's true.  Consider CS4, of course your cost is nothing right now.  Amortize your payments since CS4 came out in 2008.  If the cost was the same as now for Photoshop only at 9 dollars a month since 2008 when CS4 came out your total cost would be $756.  The initial cost of CS4 was probably more than that by say 1000 dollars.

That's a lot of bread that could be going to hardware or a month's rent if you live in Southern California.

Now you do get all the apps that in CS4. That 29 dollars a month is substantial for apps I don't use.  When it skyrockets to almost double that after a year, then the pain would truly begin.  Still, right now?

I can do without a couple of Frappacino's.  It's nice to be out of 2005.