Homemade PIC programmers can be found all over the web. They all offer a cheaper alternative to Microchip or Clone programmers but the catch is you have to make it yourself. If you have at least a little electronics experience this will be no problem! Here's a simple example DIY PIC programmer.
PyroFactor: 
November 28th, 2008 at 9:53 am
It’s a very old technology…
I use Sprut Brenner 8/9 revision 5…
It’s very fast and it uses usb 2.0 board…
The German guys also did the programmer program for linux and windows…
You think to make a new progremmer for pic you should think this…
And it costs under $25…
November 29th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Thanks FxDev, there’s definitely way better home-made PIC programmers out there. So take the one I posted for whatever it is worth =D.
November 30th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Yes Chris, but when the works became a professional some programmers like this can’t be useful. And it said only 16c84 can be programmed. But ‘c’ series come to an end…
Anyway, pic can be programmed a lot of ways but what about FPGA (xilinx)?
Do you know about this subject?