Agreed, check the thread on lights under $50 in the Electronics forum. There are some excellent LED flashlights that run on AA rechargeable batteries that you can buy for very reasonable costs. I've got a Fenix LD20 that costs a little more than that, but is very bright and has been totally reliable during 4 years of use.

You can spend anywhere from $20 to $500+ on front lights. The more expensive lights will provide more brightness and better run times, but you can get very effective lighting for minimal bucks.