Kevin, Another thing to try is your trusty cell phone. I use mine to shoot pics at contests, etc. when I don't want to lug around my larger DSLR camera. Most cell phone cameras will allow you to focus close enough to produce fairly decent macro shots. Just remember to hold the camera steady or, better yet, invest in a mini tripod from photojojo.com (they have several models made especially for holding cell phones.) Here's an example of what a cell phone camera can do:
So, give your cell phone a try. You never know, your phone might be able to produce decent photos, saving you some money and, having a son in college studying ancient greek also, I know how important that can be.
Good luck,
Dennis