Bring Out Your Dead!

I am very sorry to report that, after extensive resuscitation attempts, I have (finally) declared my DAW, Dead.
 
Despite the efforts of multiple donor machines (some willing, some not so much), it is dead.  Doornails have expressed their envy and wish they were able to demonstrate death as well as my DAW.  The American Association of Zombies has issued a statement that my DAW has given the "life challenged" a bad name and that my DAW's experience should not be considered to be typical.  The History Channel is preparing to film a special entitled, "The DAW Apocolypse".  They've requested permission to film the smoking crater.  Death sent me an email asking, "Why does this stuff always flow down to me?"
 
I am now considering how to acquire a new DAW without spending any money.  Cash is tight and any expenditures must be justifiable.  (By justifiable, I don't mean "to me".  I mean, justifiable to a reasonable person.)  I'm not making music as a source of income.  I have a day job that takes a lot of my time.  I have a home situation that requires quite a bit more. 
 
I'm considering building a DAW out of used tinfoil, duct tape, and singing birthday cards.

I'm waiting for everything to change.  Shirley, that will help.

I think ms Bubba might not like that kind of "help"

I highly recommend the "juvenile pouting method". Whenever something like this happens around "she who must be obeyed", I slowly begin this method. After a few days of this, she'll ask what's wrong. BINGO! It's important to do your research ahead of time, so that your loaded with dollar amounts, and what you'll save? These figures are really irrelevant, but it's critical that she percieve big savings, not to mention the return of your happiness.

Oh crap,.....here she comes....later.

I'm sure that I can work something out.  There are some really good deals out there.  I am considering doing the unthinkable: Stop eating Lunch and Save the Money for a Computer.  I figure that would be two months of complete, abject misery, and I'll have enough. 

Seems reasonable.

Bubba, I would price the individual parts vs a store bought one. There is  plenty of advice on the forums here as far as putting together a system a' la' carte

I've built my own systems before, so I'm considering piecing together a FrankenDAW.  In part, this is to reduce costs.  The primary purpose, however, is to ensure that I don't have to skip too many meals.

See, that's the real reason I went ahead and got a day job many years ago.  It's the "starving" part of the "starving artist" role that I find unpleasant.  I'm okay with poor.  I've done that.  Looking at your arm and wondering what it would taste like with a little ketchup is not quite as acceptable.

In that case, ketchup would be unthinkable, but that's obvious.