$1 for a 74xx245, wow What store, Radio Shack? That is all we have left where I live and that selection is gone.
Also, I am with Nigel, the uC is all self contained. And if you are like me (lazy), I use the internal osc. most of the time and save 3 more parts. That is if I am not going fast, doing misson critical timing, or using it for serial communications..
mstechca. I will dig up all the DS5000 (I think it was), 8031 and 8051 chips I have an make you a great deal. And tubes of EPROMs as well, will throw in a UV eraser too (I use it to clean AC vents and bathroom shower now). Think I have tubes of 245, 244, 373, etc..
But I have a lot of them and have not opened that box in a long time.
Get into the PIC and Atmel chips. Programmers are easy to build, software pretty much free.