I could never justify spending thousands of dollars per year on just a CAD program. I think that your basic CAD program (meaning AutoCAD and it's fundamental features) isn't something that should cost so much. I looked at the various 'clones' out there and had mixed success.
A comparison is if Microsoft started charging $2,000 per year just for MS Word: The program has seen little to none development over the years (and even added a few annoying features that most people hate). You'd be able to find another word processer quite easily. I think basic CAD is generic enough to offer the same option... and it does with the only (but big) caveat being that the competition is flawed in it's own way(s).
One way to get "free" CAD for an extended amount of time is to do a bunch of free trials in succession. You could do AutoCAD LT for 30 days, thereafter, do AutoCAD (full) for 30 days (I think). You could then do something like iCAD or BricsCAD. Then GstarCAD (the most similar one to AutoCAD). If your drawing is relatively simply is should open in the different programs just fine. The tradeoff here is that saving money costs time. It all depends on what's more important.
Autodesk does allow for month-to-month payments (I think... I know they used to for sure). You could also do a 30 day free trial then 1 or 2 months then shut it off.
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