Education is Expensive

I just realized that my teaching certificate will expire Aug '13.  I started to panic.  I need to take 15 credits or 150 clock hours in order to renew.  I started checking into it and I'm a little dishearted.  Education is expensive.  When I was actually teaching in a real job, I would take classes, spend a bunch of money to take them and then get a little raise to help off set the costs.  Now that I'm subbing my pay stays the same no matter how many classes I take.  Despite the fact that I've almost maxed out the pay scale when it comes to education credits, I make the same subbing as a first year teacher.  I have to say there is little motivation to renew especially with the fact I have a "can sub for life" certificate. 
While part of me wants to let my cert expire the other half keeps playing the "what if your dream job comes along" card.  I haven't taught my own class since 2001 and I haven't taught full time since 1998, but the thought of NEVER going back seems weird to me.  Some days I really miss teaching and other days I'm sooo glad to be going to lunch and getting pedis with my girlfriends. 
I'm very lucky to be in a situation where I can choose to work.  I sub because my friends are teachers and need me.  I don't go on random sub jobs and I don't work all the time.  I like that.  I don't need to re-up my cert to continue to do that.  It will cost around $1000 plus "seat time" to renew and with no raise in pay to offset, I'm just not sure what to do. 
All I do know is education is expensive.