MK is dead on, and this strategy works well even when you have money. I think my wife is the only girl I know who didn't pay for me. Ah, the power of Kung Fu. I've been poor, well off, poor, and well off. Well, good enough off that I'm not choosing between food and medicine or clothing or a place to stay. Life is okay, and most of the guys I know my age in Kung Fu are doing good too. Part of it is stage of life. As a student, you are poor. But the kung fu stays with you.
Here's another tip - make friends with your teacher. Help them out in other ways, and they'll usually let you float on the dues. When I was poor, my teachers NEVER charged me, cause I was a hardcore student.
Think about this - dues haven't really changed in 20 years, so your teacher isn't really making anything off of teaching either...
"Never interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake."
--- Napoleon
"MonkeySlap is a brutal b@stard." -- SevenStar
"Forgive them Lord, they know not what MS2 can do." -- MasterKiller
"You're not gonna win a debate (or a fight) with MST. Resistance is futile." - Seven Star