Start spending time programming microcontrollers and relive the 80's at 1/10th of the price.
I've played around with machine code monitors on C64 emulators, and I'd love to have something like this on a microcontroller today. (Perhaps a machine code monitor on a calculator?) I don't know of anything like this.
The Maker Shed sells a 4-bit microcomputer trainer from Japan. It has a hexadecimal keypad, 1 7-segment LED display, some other lights and a speaker.
You could also go to eBay or a swap meet and buy an old microcomputer.
http://www.brielcomputers.com/
http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKGK...
I am currently working on an atmega project and have hopes of bringing such a "self-hosted" programming environment to the device, which I'll post to HN when I get it working.