So WarHorse, I have to commend you on keeping a sense of humor through what can be a frustrating process. I'd also like to encourage you to be patient with the process, because in the long run, it's worth it. It seemed like a roller coaster ride for me, and I took months to find the right stove, chimney, location, dealer, etc. Many conversations, much time spent on this site (didn't know about the forums at first, but I read just about every stinkin' review on every stove out there!)
I have the Mansfield's younger sibling, the Hearthstone heating (as I think I mentioned above) a 2Ksf house. I was in the stove store a few days ago, and noticed that the price of the stove has gone up $500 since I bought a few years back! I also took advantage of the tax credit, and was able to get the stove, installation, and chimney for around $3500. I think I've just about passed the break-even point on that purchase in my fuel savings. I am heating completely with wood, and live outside of Fairbanks, Alaska.
When I was house-shopping I passed up newer and more conveniently-located houses to buy this one (also a long frustrating process). One of my friends ended up getting a house that was on my short list. I passed because of the beautiful cathedral ceilings and loft bedroom; she bought because of the same. They were paying $700 a month to heat the place that first winter, and the house was smaller than mine. The experience I've had with this place has made me something of a nut on the subject of construction details and insulation, so please understand if I seem to obsess about that.
I completely understand what it means to live within a budget, but there are some creative solutions that you might be able to pull off without breaking the bank. Good idea getting the windows sealed--that can make a lot of difference.
You said you had wood floors, and dirt underneath. Would it be possible to put some kind of breathable membrane (like Typar road fabric) along the bottom of the floor joists, and blow them full of cellulose insulation? I think getting a warm floor would make a heck of a difference. Another option would be to put rigid styrofoam down there, but that costs more, I think, and could be pretty hard to wriggle around down there with that. You didn't mention what you have in the ceiling for insulation, but `good boots and a good hat' are critical to a good house.
If straw bales are cheap where you live, banking around the floor of the house with them can also help a lot. It might be a bit of a mess in the spring, but sometimes you just have to deal with that when the time comes.
Keep an eye on Craigslist, and continue to educate yourself about stoves so that if you see a good deal, you can act fast. I saw someone on CL last year selling a brand new BKK for $600 because his wife wanted something prettier. (I mentioned that on here, and a few folks thought that he out to keep the stove and trade the wife in. <g>) Someone got lucky that day, but it was because they knew their stoves and what they wanted, and moved on it immediately. Ad was gone in a day. Here's a Palladian in Manhattan, KS for a good price:
http://topeka.craigslist.org/grd/2747674710.html
Check out the Hearthstone Equinox. That one takes an 8" pipe, and is one heatin' honker. We have a member that posts here frequently that picked up one used, IIRC, for about $2000. It's in beautiful shape.
Check out the Woodstock stoves. They are having a heck of a sale on their Fireviews. They also sell refurbished stoves.
Look into low-income weatherization programs. Some of them have extremely generous income guidelines, and that can really help. No matter how good a stove you have, you're going to want to put it in a well-insulated envelope. (I find that `Forum' cartoon at the top of the page in this site painful to look at. I keep wanting them to put the damned fire inside of a shelter!)
Do give some serious thought to planting some trees that will help break the prairie wind.
Keep your eye on the for-sale section on hearth.com.
More than anything, just hang in there. This is a good place to find support on the journey, and the patience you will find here for your questions is astonishing. Don't hesitate to ask. We hate the idea of people being cold.
ETA: Gordon and his `wiffle-ball house (cute!) hail from Nebraska, the state that gave the world the straw-bale house. I have seen descriptions of external retrofits done with strawbale that might be worth you both looking into. here's an article on it by Andrew Morrison, who I think really knows his stuff and has a heart for saving the world with straw bale housing:
http://www.strawbale.com/retrofitting-a-house-with-straw-bales
