I am a freelancer and I have had a chance to use Maya and I could really use it in my work. I looked at the prices and I can not afford to buy it. Are there other schemes or deals? Perhaps I can purchase cheaper from a reseller or an older version?

Any suggestions??

Sebastian

Students and Faculty may qualify for the educational license, which is quite a bit cheaper - but can non be used for commercial work.

Resellers sale Maya at the price Autodesk sets (much like Apple and their iPods/iPads, etc...)
It’s gonna be the same amount where ever you look.

You should view it as an investment (like all the other tools you’ve had to purchase for your freelancing business). No doubt, it may take a few projects to recoup your expense, but you may also want to look into tax deductibles, or perhaps a small business loan, etc.

n8skow [FA]

When I first bought Alias, I paid $15,000 and took a second loan against my house. My computer, an SGI Indigo II, was about the same.  During the time I was stewing over the high cost of this setup, I was having a conversation with my neighbor, a plumber.  I looked at his heavy duty Ford van and the sign that he had had painted on it.  I looked at the custom racks he had had welded for the roof, so he could transport pipe.  I looked at the pipe-threading machine he had in his garage, his power tools, his hand tools, his license ... to say nothing of the kid he had to have working for him to help him carry all that crap from his truck to his job site and back again ...

I realized that I was getting out pretty cheap.