Hehehe. It turns out that there are so many applications for the iPhone and iPad, that many people mark their apps off free for a day just to get people to download them, try them out, and review them. A few sites started tracking these "one day free" markdowns, and so far I've purchased perhaps 20-30 apps (most $1, some $2, a very few cost more) but I've received hundreds of other apps for free.
So, yeah, the ecosystem is such that for the price of the iPad and some patience waiting for the apps you want to go free, you're all set.