i was paying $8 for a small jar of 'rejuvenative' brand fermented veggies and the way i do it now is actually WAY less expensive and more affective. a gallon of fermented veggies lasts quite a long time actually since i only eat a small amount each day. i would like to figure out a way to make smaller batches, in fact i am working on that right now.
if you eat dairy you could do the same thing only with a yogurt maker instead of the veggie fermenter.