There are so many ways to climb a mountain. I live in Arusha, and when my friend from the U.S. came and wanted to climb for cheap, I asked around. The cheapest way to climb that I could find that would still give him a quality trip was to go without a big group. He carried his own stuff, and he went with two guys from the area around Kili (a guide and a cook) who aren't associated with any company.
The plus side of that is that you can save a couple hundred dollars. The downside is that it's harder to make certain that you're getting good guides. The guys he got, Faraja and Renson, were really good and he's still in touch with them. Another poster said that it's a good idea to make your plans for climbing from Arusha or Moshi and that you shouldn't try to do it from the other side of the world. I agree, especially if you can find guys like Faraja or Renson (Renson's email address is rensonmaro@yahoo.com).
You can save money by doing it that way, but it's still expensive. Everyone says it's worth it, though. I'll climb, too, as soon as I save up some money (and get a little exercise).
