Sometimes the best alternative is bite the bullet and plunk down the cash for something that is guaranteed to work. I've spent a fair amount of money trying to "save" money. Occasionally you win, but most of the time you just end up spending the money twice.
If it's something that will make you money, it's called an investment. In today's economy, it's simply a no brainer: $1.5K invested in good (productive) software will yield a far greater return than any savings account or a certificate of deposit.
JB