Help A Starving Artist, ME!

I am a dinosaur, pushing 45 years old in a young and technical world that has pixels and bits spilling all over my paper and ink. I NEED A NEW PROGRAM, but I can't really afford one. Think I'm kidding about being a dinosaur? I am very proficient in Ulead Photo Express and have used it fluently for all of my digi needs so far. I've heard CS3 will help me alter my very artistically created but scanned background papers and bring them into this century, but all I have is CS2 and I can't seem to get it to do what I want! grrrrrrrr. I need to have a best friend that can wholesale for me, OR perhaps you know someone at the company that would love to offer me a "Designer Copy" to use and publicize for them? please help a starving artist :o) I'll make you pretty things.